DRGN
by Akkator006
Summary: DRGN is a Story set in the RWBY universe, a few years before the events of the show. It involves a group of students {All OCs} going through their lives at Atlas Academy. If you want Action and humor this should fit your bill. The only character so far to appear form the series is Ironwood. Edit: Currently working on rewriting.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

As Damian walked towards the train station, he thought to himself about what life at Atlas would be like. Who would he make friends with? Who would he fight alongside with and who would he study with? He let out a sigh. He had always had trouble making friends due to his size, his temper and being a Faunus. This time would be different though, this time would be-

 _Honk!_

He was disrupted from his thoughts as he saw his train start to take off. He had only just arrived at the gates. He burst into a sprint. He jumped over the ticket gate, ran along the platform, and with a giant leap he landed on the back of the last carriage. Panting and smirked to himself, he opened the door.

Upon entering the carriage, he noticed there was no one there. _Must be because it's early in the morning_ , he thought. He walked down the aisle, looking for a seat with some leg-room. As he turned to sit down he saw something out of place; the bag racks were all full. He turned around and the other rack was also full of large burlap sacks _._ _Very weird indeed,_ he said to himself. The door at the forward end of the carriage opened up and a man in a black uniform walked in. He spoke loudly and directly.

"I knew we had a train robber and I'm not surprised it's a filthy animal like you!" Damian looked around, just to make sure the man was talking to him.

"You think I did what now?" He asked the man, puzzled. The man drew his gun.

"Where are they?!" He demanded. Damian was now even more confused than before.

"Where is who? What am I being accused of?" The man pointed his gun at Damian.

"Look here you little shit, I _know_ you've done something to the passengers of this carriage, as they are gone and I never saw you enter the train!" Damian couldn't ignore these facts so he slowly raised his arms.

"Look, I think there's been a huge misunderstanding… so how about you put down your gun and we just talk this out." Now the man just looked annoyed.

"You will not tell me what to do, you hairy fr-" The man stopped mid-sentence and fell to the floor with a blade in the back of his head. Behind him stood a short figure in a black cloak and a white mask decorated with Grimm markings. The figure walked forward, over the body, and slowly pulled out the blade and attacked it to a weapon and swung it over its back. Then it looked at Damian and spoke slowly.

"Hello there, my large, furry friend." Damian just looked back, mouth slightly open in shock. The figure continued. "You see, you have helped me rather a lot without even knowing it… you see, they now think that _you_ ," it pointed at Damian, "are the train robber when in fact, it was yours truly!" It gave a little bow, then walked slowly towards Damian with its left hand outstretched in greeting. Damian could not comprehend what was happening right now, but he still knew what he must do.

"Oh well, no problem I guess." Damian extended his own arm to meet the figure's and gripped it tight. "Unfortunately I am not a crook like you." He pulled back his right arm and punched the figure straight in the face. It would have been sent flying if not for the fact that their hands were still locked. With a mighty swing Damian flipped the figure over and smashed it into the floorboards with a satisfying crunch.

"I may be a bit of a beast, but I am not a criminal."

The figure groaned and rolled over. Its mask had shattered and fallen off, revealing the good looking face of a young girl with curly brown hair. Well, if you didn't count the broken nose. She groaned some more and tried to move, but was only able to roll a little to each side. Damian looked down, still not quite sure what was going on. The girl spat out a mouth full of blood.

"Man, that wasn't _-_ _cough_ \- my best _-_ _cough_ – idea." She then returned to relative silence, which was abruptly broken by the sound of the intercom going off and the train doors opening. Damian looked round to see what was going on. Something darted into view and hit him right in the face. He fell to the ground and blacked out.

When he opened his eyes, he was looking at the underside of a chair. He tilted his head and saw a boot coming his way and bit into it on instinct. The scream and thud that followed told him that it had worked.

He rose up, slowly, to see that the train was now full of Atlas military enforcers, who had just seen what happened. He slowly lifted his arms and spoke clearly.

"I do not know what's going on here." One of the soldiers looked at his colleague, shrugged and pulled out some handcuffs.

"Soooooo you'll come quietly, then?" Damian nodded.

Twenty minutes later Damian found himself at the city's police station. He was stripped of his weapon, armour and bag and He was brought to a dark room and told to sit at a table until someone came to deal with him. This gave Damian plenty of time to go over his thoughts.

The first of which was _what an awful start to my life as a huntsman_. He sat and thought about what he could do to get out when he heard muffled voices outside.

"Can I be bad cop this time?" The first asked.

"No Philip you're a goofball!" The other voice snapped, "Anyway it's a Faunus kid so you'll be more of a _relatable_ to him. A moment later the door opened and two figures walked in, one tall muscular with bright blues slicked back hair, white streak. The other one was short and almost ball shaped, he was balding and had to sizeable tusks protruding from his jaw.

"Do you know why you're here?" The first barked.

"Uh well I think." Damian started but the officer slammed her coffee cup on the table, causing it to drench herself and Damian. Damian screamed in surprise and fell out of his chair.

"To slow! Do you think I have time to deal with every one of you delinquents that walks into this door! Well do you?" Damian quickly but clumsily stumbled to his feet.

"Ugh no. Mam." He added quickly.

"Exactly but it seems you're not entirely inept. You seem to know the chain of command. Maybe atlas will make something of you yet."

"I'll take it from here Sargent Azure Marine." Philip said calmly "you've rattled the boy enough. So my boy what happened?" With a sigh of relief Damian told them the short tail of how he ran for the train, how he was confronted by the conductor and then how the clocked figure showed up and killed the conducive and finally how he took out the figure before he two was knocked out.

"So let me just check a few things?" Philip began. "Did you have ticket for this train?" Damian nodded his head.

"Did you attack that officer because you assumed that it was the person who attacked you on the train?" To which he nodded again.

"Do you think you could tell me anything else about this girl, the one on the train?"

"She was just a small girl with brown curly hair and a bit of a pointed face I guess." Damian said disheartened, he was having problems remembering the details of the scene.

"How small is small? Most things must be small to you." Sargent Marine barked. Reminding Damian that she was still in the room.

"Low end of five foot, maybe smaller." He replied. The Sargent put down a tablet she had been using to record what Damian had been saying.

"I think we're done here." She said aloud.

"Yes I think so too." Philip said, "My boy, follow me and we can gather your personal effects. Damian nodded and left the room with the constable.

Once Damian was outside, he realised he was right in the middle of Atlas with no real idea as to where the Academy actually was. He was about to go into a shop across the street when Sargent Azure walked outside.

"You a little lost teddy bear." Her tone was different from before, still dominating but less brash.

"Yea I don't actually know how to get to the academy." He replied embarrassed. The Sargent absentmindedly flipped out her pistol and used the hammer spark to light a cigarette.

"I'll be heading around that way if you want a lift?" She said equally absentmindedly.

"Why would you do that?" Damian asked curiosity getting the better of him. She took a drag then replied.

"Because my sister works there, and my niece, on the other side, will be starting like you today."

"Oh really." He replied. A bike suddenly whizzed round the corner and stopped in front of Azure, she hopped on and patted the small area of seat behind her.

"Hop on." Damian was about to argue but she stared at him until he clambered on. Damian had to wrap his arms around her tightly as she took of the moment he got on the bike. She was able to get to the academy within a matter of minutes. She dropped him off at the gate and sped of saying she had to continue her patrol. Damian turned to the gate and realised it was closed, and no one was around. _Just great,_ Damian thought to himself. All hope was not lost though. He sat down, and produced a flask full of his mother's porridge. His eyes lit up as he began to shovel it down but once he was finished he sat decided to just wait and see if anyone would show up.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

After half an hour of increasing boredom, someone finally approached him.

"Hey there, are you a student here?" Damian looked up and saw a boy with light brown hair, a pale complexion and a big smile. The boy put out a hand and Damian pulled himself up

"Uh, I'm trying to be a student here but I don't know how to get in." Damian said in a disgruntled tone.

"Ah, so we've both tripped on the first hurdle then," the boy replied, "well, stumbling together is better than stumbling by yourself. Now, who are you?" the boy asked, shaking Damian's hand.

"Uh, Damian. Damian Carmine, from Torchlight, a small mining town." Damian replied.

"Hello, Damian of the mine. I'm Nathan Glas, up and coming huntsman legend!" Nathan said, loud and energetically.

"Oh, are you now?" Damian chuckled. He and Nathan exchanged pleasantries and stories of their lives for a while longer. Unknown to ether of them, they were being watched by a hooded figure skulking round the corner of the street.

"What do you chuckleheads think you're doing?" The two of them looked round to see a short and rather bothered looking boy.

"Can we help you?" Nathan asked

"Yes you can." the boy replied. "Move out of the way, I'm trying to get to the academy!"

"Well, you are here." replied Damian and Nathan. The boy drew his weapon, a long pole with a blade on the end. Some kind of spear, Damian thought. Then, without warning, the boy launched himself forward, narrowly missing Damian and Nathan who just managed to jump out of the way. Damian jumped up to counter the attack, and saw that the gate had been split in two. Nathan had drawn his weapons and was pointing them at the boy who looked pretty proud of himself.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Nathan shouted.

"You could have killed us!" Damian added. Calmly, the boy said:

"I was only removing the walls between me and my objective." Nathan looked speechless, but only for a moment. Then he shouted:

"You wana fight?! I'll bring it, just ask!" With a quick flick of his thumbs Nathan's safeties were off and his fire rate was on auto.

"Yeah kid, I think you've messed with the wrong people" Damian said, trying to hold his anger.

"Do you intend to stop me?" the boy asked as if the very notion surprised him.

"We intend to make you pay!" Said Damian, his temper rising. In one move he pointed his weapon at the boy, slapped in a missile and flicked off the safety. "The question is… you ready to rumble?" Damian asked, his eyes glistening.

"Oh, I'm ready," the boy said, spinning his weapon in one hand as it transformed into a rifle. Then came the deafening sound of gun fire and explosions, creating a dust cloud from which the boy launched himself thirty feet into the air with the force of his rifle. Nathan stopped firing and shouted:

"Get down here you chicken!"

"If you insist," the boy replied with a cackle. He pointed his gun behind him, to the side, and shot himself to earth at a stupendous speed with his blade pointing at Nathan. Damian jumped, pushed Nathan to the ground and covered him with his body. The boy missed them and hit the ground, causing a shockwave which sent his targets flying across the street into a wall. The boy walked up to them as they got to their feet. Then there was a scream.

"Stop!"

All three were blinded and knocked backwards by a force that erupted between them. Damian tried to move, but his body was numb, and his current position only allowed him to see the red speckled pavement.

"I'm really sorry!" A voice called out, crying. Who was it? Then a hand grabbed him roughly by the shoulder and pulled him around to face a tall figure. It took a second for Damian to recognise him: he was tall, with a white coat, an equally white complexion, and a stone cold expression on his face.

The three boys were carried into the school and dumped in an empty classroom, where they sat and waited in silence. Seconds crawled by and turned into minutes. An hour had passed by the time the silence was broken. The tall, white-suited man from earlier walked into the room, followed by a girl in a red, hooded body-warmer. The girl sat down on one of the seats at the front, and the man walked to the teacher's podium.

"Good afternoon. I am Professor James Ironwood," his calm voice changed to anger mid-sentence, "and I want you three hooligans to give me one reason why I shouldn't remove you from Atlas within the next sixty seconds."

The boys all tried to speak at once, but neither one could be heard over the others.

"Silence!" Ironwood shouted. "Can't you even form some order amongst yourselves!" Damian stood up tall and straight. "Mr Carmine, would you like to speak first?" Ironwood asked, almost as though he were trying to taunt him.

"Yes…" Damian spluttered, "I was defending myself from that boy in the green." He pointed to reinforce the point. Ironwood turned his gaze to the other boy.

"So, Mr Lu, is this true? Did you unjustifiably attack Damian?" Ryu squirmed in his seat. It would seem his ego did not extend to the point where he saw himself as greater than Ironwood. He avoided speaking for as long as possible, before muttering:

"Maybe." Ironwood scowled.

"Are you saying that you could have done that much damage, caused that much carnage, and that it may have slipped your mind?!" The Professor barked.

"No, Sir." Ryu muttered, "It's just I was having a bad day and I thought these two were trying to mess with… I see now that my actions were a bit extreme. I'm sorry." He said solemnly.

"What's your story, Mr Glas?" Nathan stopped smiling. He must have thought he'd almost gotten off scot-free.

"My story is fairly similar to Damian's"

"Okay, but did you not instigate the fight?" Ironwood replied slyly.

"Well, I guess… Wait, how did you know about that?" Nathan asked, now quite flustered.

"Oh, you see, I've been given quite a detailed account of what happened by the fourth member of this brawl." Ironwood stated plainly.

"Fourth?" The three boys replied in unison.

"Yes," said Ironwood, "she saw all of your idiocy and put a stop to it. Whether that was a good idea or not is yet to be seen." The girl in the red hood stood up.

"Yes, I am the one who stopped you all from fighting. My name is Gagana Arkid." Her voice did indeed seem familiar to Damian. She's must have been the person who had screamed for them to stop

"Good." Ironwood said, his voice now sounding much lighter in tone. "Now that introductions are over, all of you should head to your dorm."

"Why did you say dorm as singular?" Ryu asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ironwood replied. All four shook their heads. "I'm putting you four in a team together."

"Why?" Ryu asked.

"Yeah, aren't the group assignments usually in the form of a test or something?" Damian added.

"You are correct, Damian. That would normally be the case, but I've decided to keep this band of misfits together. I added Miss Gagana so that you have at least one cool head between you." Nathan shrugged.

"Oh well, at least we don't have to do the group-up activity."

"And that's where you'd be wrong. You're doing it anyway." Ironwood corrected him.

"Why's that?" Ryu enquired.

"The placement test will build character and help you learn to work as a team." Ironwood replied "Now, get going. I have important business to take care of, like fixing the gate."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The four new students walked out of the room and into the corridor in silence. _What an incredible stroke of luck,_ Damian thought, he couldn't believe he hadn't been expelled. Maybe someone, or something, was watching over him. Well, if that was true he wanted it to continue doing whatever it was doing. Nathan tapped his shoulder, tearing him back to reality.

"Where are we supposed to be going?" he asked. Damian looked at Ryu, who in turn looked at Nathan. Damian sighed.

"So, we have been walking for what, like, ten minutes? And nobody thought to ask where to."

"We were following you, mate." Nathan said, as though it was obvious.

"Okay, why me?" Damian asked.

"Oh, you know," Nathan began, then paused, "you're, like, the sort of person who looks like they know what they're doing." Damian raised an eyebrow and looked at Ryu.

"Well, you just took off like you knew the way, so…" Ryu's answer trailed off. Damian turned to Gagana.

"I'm not arguing with someone who looks like a mountain and carries a missile launcher around!" she squeaked.

"Ouch, your words hurt me!" Damian said with an almost visible amount of sarcasm. "I'm as clueless as you guys. Gagana, we all carry weapons. It is kinda part of the job description, you know?"

"I don't use a huge weapon like you guys." Gagana said, looking somewhat flustered. All three of the guys turned to look at her.

"You do have a weapon right?" Nathan asked sceptically. Gagana raised her fists.

"I fight with my body!" she said with a grin. Damian turned around and began walking off.

"Damian, where are you going?" Gagana called out. He didn't stop, but did reply.

"I'm going to find an information desk or something, need some sleep." Nathan and Ryu started walking as well. Gagana sighed.

"Hey guys, wait for me!" she called as she jogged to catch up.

When Damian reached the reception he was annoyed to find that there was already a line of people. Of course, there had to be a bunch of other students who knew equally little and wanted answers. He sighed.

The girl in front of him looked back at the sound. She was an athletic looking girl, in a black leather jacket and a bold red Stetson. She looked Damian up and down, then introduced herself with a hearty hello.

"Hi there, nice to meet ya." She held out her hand invitingly.

Damian was taken aback by this. He paused, then awkwardly replied.

"Uh, hi… nice to meet you too."

"Don't tell me, you're one o' those big ole silent types, ain't ya?" she spoke in a thick accent.

"I mean, you could say that." Damian grumbled sleepily. The girl slapped herself on the cheek.

"Where are my manners? I haven't even introduced myself properly! The name's Scarlet Sky, huntress in training."

"Damian Carmine, first year."

"Holy cow, you're a first year? You're so tall though."

"I get that a lot." Damian laughed lightly.

"Who are your friends?" Scarlet asked, pointing behind Damian. He looked round to see Nathan, Ryu and Gagana, who he had almost forgotten he was walking with.

"I'm Yogi, nice to meet you," Nathan said cheerfully, "I'm Damian's younger brother."

"Well if that ain't hogwash, I don't know what is." Scarlet scoffed.

"How did you see through my lie?" Nathan said, pretending to cry. Scarlet looked to Damian.

"Your friend is funny, like."

"Oh he is funny, alright." Ryu chuckled to himself.

"Who you calling funny, Stupid?" Nathan shot back.

"Who are you calling stupid, hothead?"

"Who are you calling hot head, you psycho?!"

"Who are you call-"

"WILL YOU TWO SHUT THE HELL UP!" Damian shouted, causing everyone in the room to stare at him.

"He started it!" Each of them whined, pointing at the other.

"Well, I'll have to finish it," Gagana said, glaring at both of them, "Ironwood gave me special permission to use force if necessary."

"Hey y'all, how about we go get some food." Scarlet said, motioning to a door. The boys' stomachs let out a collective growl. They all nodded and stated walking towards the door.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Damian was surprised by just how big the food hall was. Its three long tables were currently almost empty, as it was pretty late in the day. Scarlet sped off ahead, and jumped into the queue for food, which only had two other students.

"Nathan, let's get something to share. What do you guys want?" Damian asked the others. Ryu leaned to look at the menu over Damian's shoulder.

"Pizza." He replied. Damian looked to Gagana, who nodded in agreement.

"Cool. Nathan, grab some trays." Damian said. Nathan looked like he was about to protest, so Damian started to walk, forcing him to follow. As they entered the line, Scarlet turned around. She had been chatting to the two girls in front of her.

"Damian! What you having?" She looked happier now that the situation had simmered down a bit.

"Just grabbing pizza," he replied. "Are these friends of yours?" He motioned to the two girls.

"Nah. Well, they're first years like us." One of the girls looked round at the sound of the two talking, and tugged on her friend's shoulder. The two let out a simultaneous "Wow…"

One of the girls. the one with green hair, spoke up.

"Are you like a mountain giant or something?" Her friend frowned at her.

"Rylee, I don't think you can just go around asking weird things like that. Now he'll think _I'm_ weird like _you_." Rylee looked hurt.

"Ramona, I am asking a very reasonable question." She replied, a little too honestly.

"I just don't think that's the _first_ thing you should have asked him." Ramona replied.

"S'up, I'm Damian." Damian interjected. "I am not a giant of any sort, actually. I am a Faunus. And I'm also right here."

"Rylee Teal, at your service." Rylee said, holding out her hand.

"Ramona, Ramona Teal, nice to meet you." Ramona said extending her hand as well. Nathan peered around Damian.

"Hey, don't forget me! Nathan Glas." He said, stretching round Damian to shake Rylee's hand. Scarlet clapped and smiled.

"Ah, much more civilised."

"Wait, were you guys that racket we heard outside?" Ramona asked.

"You can't prove anything!" Nathan spluttered, his face a little red.

"Well, now I can." Ramona chucked.

"We won't hold it against you" Rylee said cheerfully.

"Y'all, there are some other first years over there, let's introduce ourselves." Scarlet said.

"You are _very_ friendly," Nathan said, tiredly. "How do you even know that they are first years?"

"They're sitting at the first year table." Ramona pointed out, taking a bite out of the sandwich she had picked up.

As they walked to the table, Damian motioned Gagana and Ryu to where they were going to sit.

Damian sat down, and started tucking into a bit of pizza, he decided to let Scarlet do all the networking. She was moving from person to person, introducing everyone to each other. The students they had already met included a broad black boy named Richard, a little blond girl called Mary and a skinny boy named Oscar. After a few minutes of casual chatter, Richard called across the table to Damian.

"So, I saw you come in with these three. I'm guessing you lot are the crew who trashed the gate." Damian didn't know whether to be embarrassed or angry. He turned red anyway.

"Thanks for that, you let us all get in." Richard added.

"… What?"

"Turns out the gate had broken down, so none of the students could get in. So Mary, Oscar, myself, and apparently everyone else used it as a way of getting in." Damian's face turned red to the point that you couldn't tell where his hair started and his face stopped.

"That piece of shit Ironwood! We practically did him a favour." He said, banging his hands on the desk.

Everyone burst out laughing.

"Some people are saying you got pre-assigned a team instead of being of being expelled, 'cause the higher ups liked the look of your fight." Oscar added.

"You would be correct." Ryu said leaning back in his chair with a smug grin on his face.

"Well then, if you're so hot, up for a friendly game of strength?" Richard asked resting his arm in the middle of the table.

"I'm not really in the mood." Damian said dejectedly.

"Wimp. I thought you were a bear, not a chicken." Mary crowed. Damian wasn't going to take that lightly, especially not from a girl half his size. He put his arm on the table and locked hands with Richard. He quickly looked to Mary.

"There is no such thing as a bird Faunus." He said, totally deadpan.

"Ok, when I say go." Mary announced. "Three… two… one… a half…" Both boys glared at her. She smirked. "GO!"

Both their arms tensed and locked in place. They held still for five, then ten seconds. They started to quiver. Fifteen seconds. The table started shuddering and Richard's face tensed. Damian very slowly started pushing Richard's arm to the side…

Smack.

"Whoop whoop! _That_ is why you don't mess with Big Bear." Nathan proclaimed, pointing at Richard.

"Big Bear…" Damian began, but nobody was listening.

"Good match. Now, how about I take off the kid gloves." Richard said putting out his other arm.

"I'm not a lefty, but okay." Damian said, accepting the challenge.

"Okay! I'll be ref this time." Scarlet announced excitedly. "Three!"

Damian and Richard locked hands.

"Two!"

They tensed. Something felt off, Damian thought to himself.

"One!"

Their eyes met, and Richard showed a very wide toothy smile, like that of a crocodile with its prey in sight.

"Go!"

Damian went down almost immediately. If his other hand hadn't been holding the table, he would have gone flying. This guy was pulling out all the stops. Damian looked straight into his opponent's eyes. He could see a determined fire. The only fair thing to do would be to try every bit as hard as Richard was. Damian struggled, on the brink of defeat, then as he stated shaking under the might of Richards arm, he decided to use his trump card. He bit his lip as his face tensed. Richard looked confused. He tried to keep pushing him down but he couldn't, no matter how hard he tried. He glanced down to look at his hand and saw that Damian's arm was glowing with a dim red light. The light grew and began to form ethereal claws which stretched out from his fingers. The small crowd around them looked on in shock.

"Two can play at that game." Richard grunted. His right arm whipped around and grabbed his shoulder. There was a revving sound as Richard's arm began to expand. His sleeve ripped away revealing a metallic limb. The two of them glared at each other. Neither one was going to lose, and both had an almost visible fire in their eyes. Richard's arm revved faster and Damian's glowed brighter.

Crunch!

The table caved in, the two boys fell inwards and their heads collided. The opposite ends of the table flipped upwards and came crashing to the ground. The students ducked, dashed and dived out of the way, as shards of plastic flew everywhere. Suddenly, Damian sensed danger. He whipped round and saw a tall cloaked figure holding a staff.

"Oh crud, not again." Damian muttered to himself.

"Mr Carmine, do you have to destroy everything that you come into contact with?" The figure asked, angrily.

"It was an accident this time." Damian pleaded.

"Yeah, uh, Sir," Richard butted in, "it's also my fault."

"Mr Blackwell, I am perfectly aware of what happened and who is to blame. I was watching from the corner."

"If all of you get out of my sight in the next three seconds, I might not have to seek further punishment. If only because Mr Carmine has shown us such an excellent use of his Semblance."

"Are you serious?" Damian replied, shocked.

"One." The man began counting. The students looked at each other.

"Two." They all jumped to their feet and bolted to the door. As he crashed through it, Damian swore he heard the man chuckling behind him.

They all sat, panting, on the other side of the door.

"Who was that?" Damian panted, still regaining his breath.

"One of the senior Huntsmen, I guess." Scarlet replied.

"What are you lot up to?" A voice called from down the corridor. All of the students whipped around to see Professor Ironwood heading towards them.

"Oh hey, Ironwood… fancy seeing you on this lovely evening?" Nathan replied, forcing an innocent smile. Ironwood did not look convinced, but he let it slide.

"Have any of you seen Doctor Emrys?

"No, Sir, sorry. I don't think I've ever met him." Mary replied sweetly. Just then the door opened and the man in the cloak walked out.

"Ah, Gwynn, there you are." Ironwood said.

"Evening, headmaster," Gwynn smiled, "I was just checking out a disturbance in the food hall."

"A disturbance?" Ironwood asked. He looked towards the students.

"Yes," Gwynn replied, "one of the kind that is easily solved, though. What is it you need?" Ironwood walked up to him and whispered in his ear, and the two walked away down the corridor. Halfway down, Ironwood stopped and turned around.

"You students should make your way to your temporary housing in hall A. As for the trouble makers I met earlier, I've left a message with the Huntress in charge there, she'll relay it to you." With that, the two Huntsmen disappeared around a corner.

"I guess we better get going before something else happens." Scarlet suggested.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

The students quickly found a map of the academy on a wall and started walking towards Hall A. Upon arriving they found a room full of sleeping mats and students. Scarlet and the twins headed off eager to introduce themselves, while Damian and Ryu went on the look for the huntress they had been told was in charge. As they walked along a tall & muscular Faunus boy gestured for him to come closer. Damian felt like he shouldn't just ignore him so he told Ryu to keep looking while he asked around. He walked up to the boy. He was almost as tall as Damian, with thick matted grey hair and pointy ears on the top of his head.

"Ugh hi, what's up?"

"Hi, names Ulrik, I'm thinking about starting a Faunus only team, currently looking for members, you interested." Ulrik's voice was quite deep and he spoke in short bursts.

"Well, I mean I'd love to but I've already been shoehorned into a group." Damian replied trying to sound as sincere as possible.

"It's ok blood, there are a couple more I can ask." He sounded fine but looked a tiny bit disappointed.

"Oh have you already got some members?"

"Yea. A girl, her names cheesier and I've asked another boy named Ross, he didn't seem to like the idea to much tho."

"I see well why do you want a Faunus only group?"

"I can't stand some of these humans," Ulrik held back a growl, "they just do whatever they want, to whoever they want to. They treat us like trash, sometimes I just want to show them that they are no better. Damian didn't know how to react, he didn't quite share Ulrik's views and he could understand why that Ross guy might think that he was a bit extreme. Though it was true he had been treated badly in the past by human kids just because he was bigger and different.

"That sounds like a very aggressive way to think about things." A voice spoke out to the two boys. They both looked to see woman with curly orange hair and a set of pointed ears.

"I am Miss Sherwood, your biology and racial studies teacher. You," she looked to Damian, "Must be the Damian kid I've heard so much about, am I correct?"

"Yes Miss Sherwood, that's me." He replied. She then pulled out an envelope with a key card inside.

"This is a temporary key card for your team's room. It's in the West wing." And without another word she walked off to monitor the rest of the students. Ryu who had been standing behind her walked forwards.

"Want to get going Damian?"

"Yea one sec. Sorry Ulrik I got to get going."

"See you around." He replied, with ill intent. As the boys walked off to meet up with Nathan and Gagana Ryu decided to speak his mind.

"Damian you like humans right?" Damian was a little taken aback.

"Yea of course, I mean I've had people I've disliked, but not because they were humans just because they were jackasses."

"So you've had some bad encounters with humans?"

"Hasn't everyone," Damian paused for a second, "I'm sorry that sounded better in my head."

"Don't worry I know what you mean it's not about where your ears are, it's about where your heart is."

"That's a very good way of putting it." Gagana – who had just joined them – said.

"Okay Damian what about the White Fang?" Nathan ask.

"Wow, Nathan you can't just chuck that can of worms out whenever you feel like it." Ryu said agitatedly.

"I am not surprised." Gagana sighed

"Well Damian?" Nathan continued.

"I mean I like their ideals, of course I would but I think they have gone too far in recent years." Damian replied carefully.

"Well that's good enough for me." Nathan replied and the group collectedly felt a weight lift off their chests.

"Why would it have been a problem if he did support them?" Ryu asked and the tension immediately returned.

"Well you see I'm not too fond of them since they…" He took a breath and looked like he was trying not to shake. "Since they killed my father." Nobody felt like continuing the conversation so the group fell into silence until they reached their room.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The next day, Damian and his team were awoken by the sound of announcement over the intercom from Ironwood. All new students had to report to the training room within the hour. As Ryu was strapping on his armour pads, he asked a question to the room.

"So guys, considering we're already in a group, how do we make sure we don't accidentally end up on someone else's team?" Nathan spat out some water and said:

"Well, it all depends on how the groups are chosen, but I imagine that Ironwood will do something about it."

"Well, whatever it is, I hope we get to have a good training session while we're at it." Damian said as he walked out of the shower.

"Damian!" Put some damn clothes on, you savage." Gagana shouted, and threw a pillow at him.

"Gagana, as you can clearly see I am wearing a towel." he motioned his hands to it as he spoke.

"I don't care!" Gagana squealed with her hands in front of her eyes. "Have some common decency and cover up!"

Damian rolled his eyes. Gagana had been like this since yesterday, when they were setting up the room. She had claimed the entire left half to herself, along with the bathroom, and had even put up a curtain and announced that none of the boys could cross it on pain of death. Nathan walked over to Damian and looked at Gagana.

"Look, Gagana, at first I thought you might just be a little anal, with all this making sides and what not, but don't you think you should give the guy a break?" she lowered her hands.

"Y…you wouldn't get it…" she mumbled, and walked off to her shower, slamming the door behind her. Ryu walked behind the two other boys and whispered:

"I'm thinking she's been brought up by some sort of heavy-handed family, with a 'no boys' policy. Or more likely 'no boys and girls sharing rooms'. That sort of thing." The other two boys looked at each other, then at Ryu

"Well, even if that's true, she should accommodate for the majority."

"Nathan, don't cause more conflict then is necessary." Damian said while putting on his shirt.

"Whether she changes or not, we need to fix this." Ryu said, pointing at the beds. They had been stacked into a pyramid shaped bunk bed, with two beds on the bottom and one on top, balanced between the two.

"Saying something about my handy work?" Nathan asked, with a frown.

"It just looks really unstable-" Ryu began.

"Did you die in your sleep?"

"Well, no…"

"Then I don't see a problem." Nathan concluded, defiantly.

"You two really could argue for Atlas on a professional level, couldn't you?" Damian said before downing a glass of milk. "Gagana, you have twenty minutes left," he called in the direction of the shower door.

"Don't talk to me while I'm in the shower, you weirdo!"

"How was I… oh never mind?" Damian sighed. He looked at Nathan and Ryu. "Yes, Ryu, it does look silly, but we can fix it up when we get back. Is that a problem Nathan?" The other two nodded in agreement.

"Big bear is taking his new role pretty well." Ryu chuckled.

"Big bear is my father." Damian responded with a smirk. Nathan let out a gasp of realisation. Ryu looked at him.

"What's up?"

"Damian's father must be huge…" Nathan said slowly. Damian started laughing.

"Well, yeah."

"Come on, guys." Gagana called, now out of the bathroom. Nathan narrowed his eyes at her.

"We were waiting on you."

"Nathan…" Damian said, looking at him with one eyebrow raised. "Yeah, let's get going and do this thing."

"Come on, guys." Gagana called, now out of the bathroom. Nathan narrowed his eyes at her.

"We were waiting on you."

"Nathan…" Damian said, looking at him with one eyebrow raised. "Yeah, let's get going and do this thing."

When the four students entered the training room they were greeted by the warms smiles of Scarlet and Mary.

"Morning y'all!" Scarlet said with a little wave.

"How was sleeping in a real bed." Mary said now with no hint of a smile.

"Was sleeping in the hall _that_ rough?" Nathan asked.

"I guess you'll never know the joy of it." She replied sarcastically

"I must admit, I have slept on rocks softer then that there floor. Why does atlas insist on all this metal?" Scarlet added.

"Metal you say?" Nathan said with a glint in his eyes. Ryu smacked him over the back of his head.

"I don't know what awful pun you were away to start but I recommend you don't continue it."

"You wana go mate?" Nathan snapped as he whipped out his gun and dug it into Ryu's face. Gagana jabbed the two in the sides and sent the two into a spasm on the floor.

"Oh you guys will need to sign in." Scarlet said trying to return to peace and normality.

"Good idea." Damian said as he followed scarlet over to a holographic screen at the far side of the room. Damian looked down the list. Gagana Arkid, Richard Blackwall, Damian Carmine

"There we go." He pressed his finger against his name, it briefly lit up then a green tick appeared next to his name. Gagana dragged Nathan and Ryu over and they did the same.

"I guess we were a little early." Damian said looking at the practically empty room.

"Well there are only meant to be twelve of us here." Gagana said looking at the register. Ryu scrolled up and down looking at all the names.

"I'm pretty sure Richard is that guy Damian had a fight with, Oscar was there as well, and who's Timothy Moor? Or Brett Tawny? Oh I recognise these two they are the Teal twins."

"How'd you guess that?" Mary asked sarcastically.

"Because they have the same last name." He replied deadpan. With that the door opened and the Teal sisters, Ramona and Rylee entered the training room.

"Oh we were just talking about you guys." Scarlet said flamboyantly as she waved to them.

"Hope you were saying nice things!" Rylee said, faking a serious tone.

"Of course." Scarlet replied.

"Now back to my question," Ryu continued after the brief interruption. "So who are Brett and Timothy?"

"I can help you there." Ramona replied as she and her sister walked over and signed in. "Brett is a loud orange haired boy, about five, nine, uses a rocket powered skateboard as a weapon." Ryu stared back blankly.

"A what?"

"Look man, it's not that crazy, I use my roller blades and Oscar uses a bike." She said motioning to her feet." Ryu continued to look blankly.

"Some of us want to do more than just fight!" She said defensively. Ryu was taken aback by her outburst."

"So how do you know him?" Nathan asked to move the conversation along.

"I saw his board and asked him about it last night, he's into extreme sports like me and Rylee. Apparently him and Oscar came from the same combat school." Ramona replied, now less tense.

The door opened again this time bringing three people. Richard, Brett & Oscar.

"Howdy friends!" Scarlet said in her normal manor.

"Morning" the boys replied.

"Are we the last to show up?" Brett asked casually.

"Nah we're still waiting for one more, Timothy right?" Nathan said then asked to the room.

"Yea we were just talking about it." Scarlet added.

"I know we haven't exactly been assigned teams yet but I'd like to say, if we get any choice in the matter me, Oscar, Rylee and Ramona will be forming a team." Said to the group in general.

"I guess you haven't got much choice with all the pros already being drafted together." Nathan said cockily.

"Yea I remember now, you guys getting lumped together for better or worse." Oscar said with a chuckle.

"Well that leaves Myself, Mary, Richard and Timothy." Scarlet said diplomatically.

"I guess it does." Mary said, showing clear signs that she didn't like this set up.

"What's wrong Mary?" Damian asked.

"Oh you'll see don't worry." Eyes rolling as she spoke.

As if on cue the doors opened again and a thick cloud of white smoke entered.

Instinctively all the students readied their weapons. A voice erupted from the cloud.

"Who is ready to join the ranks, to become brothers in arms, with the one, the only Timothy Moor!" With that a blue haired boy in baggy white shorts jumped from the cloud, preformed and impressive flip and landed in front of his not so impressed crowd.

"Oh Timothy, wonderful your finally here!" Scarlet exclaimed. "We welcome you to team… Well we don't have a name yet but the team that consists of myself, Mary, Richard and now yourself." Timothy looked on in surprise.

"When did this get decided?"

"About the same time that Brett formed his team." Scarlet said with motherly tones.

"Well I guess I can lead you lot." He said disgruntled.

"Actually we don't have a leader yet," Mary said, "and I'm sure as hell not working for a clown like you!" She barked.

"Good morning students of Atlas." A voice boomed from above and the screen on the wall flicked and now showed two people.

"I am Doctor Emrys. I along with help from my college shall be overseeing this training event. The event its self is split into two parts, two different puzzles. But I am getting ahead of myself first we must assign teams."

"Gwynn it would seem that they have already assigned themselves groups." Another voice said from the speaker.

"That's Doctor Emrys to you Ruaridh! Yes it would seem they have…you should probably Introduce yourself instead of just butting in."

"Very well I am Professor Ruaridh King and I will be your secondary moderator as the Headmaster is busy with another group of students."

"Let's start, potential captains please walk forward." Gwynn commanded enthusiastically. Damian, Brett, Scarlet and Timothy all walked forward. Scarlet and Timothy looked at each other, then Scarlet walloped the blue-haired boy over the head and he retreated behind Richard.

"You three are now responsible for the well being and success of your teams. Lead them to victory!" Gwynn commanded again.

"Your test starts now." Mr King declared, with the push of a button the floor fell away and all three teams tumbled into the darkness.

"So Gwynn how do you think they will fair."

"I'm not sure but I have high hopes but we definitely can't have the same sort of outcome that we had last year."

"That is true." Ruaridh replied solemnly.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

The students fear grew as the light above them rapidly faded. Damian's gaze darted to his teammates. He tried to shout, but his words were lost to the wind. He knew he was short on time, so he tried to glide towards the others. Scarlet had gathered her team around Richard, and Brett seemed to be having a relatively easy time with his rocket board as Rylee roped their teammates together. Ryu grabbed Damian's shoulder and shouted into his ear.

"Boss, you better not let them out-shine us!"

Damian nodded and motioned for him to grab Gagana, who seemed to be struggling. Ryu launched himself to her with his rifle, then returned, while Nathan propelled himself over with the force of his shotguns. The four of them locked arms.

"What now?!" Nathan shouted.

"I guess we just fall!" Damian yelled back. He got a full set of uncomfortable looks. "I'll think of an idea when I can see the ground!"

Suddenly a beam of light shot out from the darkness below, and they could see the ground rapidly approaching.

"You just had to ask!" shouted Ryu. Damian's eyes darted around again, searching for ideas. His mind was blank.

What were the other teams doing? He saw Brett's team were glowing now, and starting to slow down. Scarlet's team were sitting on what looked like a ball of warping wind. Damian didn't know what he could do. How do you stop falling? What could his team do to help?

"We've got sixty seconds! Better get your act together!" Ryu shouted.

"Boss, how do we… not die?" Nathan sounded desperate. Damian had an idea.

"What have we done so far whenever we've encountered a wall in our path?" He yelled.

"Shoot it?" Nathan replied, with a confused look.

"Destroy it?" Ryu suggested.

"How is this helping?!" Gagana shrieked. Damian's grin stretched across his entire face.

"Forty seconds!" Ryu shouted, looking pale.

"I guess," said Damian, "We'd better destroy the force that's pulling us down then!" He pulled his missile launcher off his back. "Grab onto me!"

His whole team looked terrified now. They were about to die, and their boss of two minutes had gone insane.

"Trust me! Nathan! Ryu! Shoot my missiles, on my mark!"

They grabbed hold of him, and Damian let the first missile fly.

"Now!"

Nathan shot it. The force of the explosion hit them, and for a fraction of a second they froze in mid-air. Then they immediately started falling again. Damian fired a second missile.

"Now!"

This one exploded even closer to them, and they stopped for just a moment, but still kept falling.

The third and final missile hit into the ground a second before they did. This time the explosion cut it a little too close, and Damian took most of the brunt of it. He grit his teeth and closed his eyes.

All he could see was darkness. Was he alive? He didn't want to move a single muscle. When would he hit the ground? When would it end? He waited, not knowing what was going on. It felt like time had stopped.

After what seemed like hours he opened his eyes and screamed. He tried to jump up, but his entire body was in agony. Something was pinning him down. Was this it? Was death taking him? Everything felt blurred.

Then something hit him hard across the face, and his senses reset.

He blinked a few times, and took in his surroundings. He saw three figures standing over him, bickering. He tried to speak, but only rasps came out. The figures stopped their argument and looked at him, and his vision slowly cleared. He tried to speak again.

"G…guys?"

He someone grab him, and something wet against his face. It was Gagana and Nathan, both crying. They let go of him, and he slowly sat up. His team looked a little worse for wear, but at least they were all alive.

"How is everyone?" He croaked.

"Oh, you know, just survived a hundred-meter drop, thanks to some crazy fucker trying to have a competition with gravity to see who could kill us first!" Nathan said, laughing, with tears in his eyes.

"Hey," Damian wheezed, "Did you die?"

The boys all started laughing and carried on until it hurt, which didn't take long. Gagana grabbed Damian, looking as serious as she could with tears streaming from down her face.

"I hate you! Why did you think we'd be okay with you risking your life for us?!"

The laughter died down immediately. Damian weakly pushed her away and spoke as steadily as he could.

"I…I wasn't try-" *cough* "-trying to kill myself-" *cough* "-I just wanted to keep my team safe."

Gagana looked like she was about to start bawling again. Instead, she yelled at him.

"Well next time you have an idea-" *sniff* "-that puts any member of the team at risk, at least run it by all of us first!" Damian was lost for words. He flopped back onto the grass beneath him.

"I hardly think we could have come up with a better idea, even if we had had all day." Ryu interjected. Gagana glared at him.

"I was just trying to make a point!"

Damian decided to stop this argument before it started.

"Nathan where are we?" He asked, loudly changing the subject. Nathan and the others paused.

"At the bottom of a hole." he said simply. They all began looking around. They seemed to be in some sort of forest of pines and ferns.

"Wait. If we fell through the floor. How did we end up in a forest?" Damian asked, utterly confused now.

"Probably a hologram, or an extension of the training room." Nathan suggested, looking up at a very real looking sky.

"Anyone know what we're supposed to be doing down here?" Ryu asked. He looked a lot more colourful now. Nobody answered.

"Can we just lie here for a bit?" Damian asked. Nathan laid down as well.

"Sure, I don't have any better ideas." he said bluntly.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Doctor Emrys was sitting in his chair looking at a dozen screens of the forest, monitoring the new teams, when Ruaridh walked over.

"It's been 20 minutes or so. Are we ready to start the next part of the test?"

Gwynn spun round in his chair to look at his co-worker.

"Yes, we probably should. All of the teams made it through the first part, some more… elegantly than others." He chuckled. "You should have seen it! These kids…" he tapped some keys and brought up a video recording of that Damian's team, rather dramatically attempting to soften their impact. Ruaridh let out something between a sigh and a laugh.

"Those boys are not the brightest bulbs in the shop. I hope they will be able to handle the next challenge"

"If anything, this shows that they will easily pass. I mean, their team has very little utility, but I'd say they're most likely going to be the most devastating in combat." Gwynn said, then lent into his mic and spoke aloud to the students.

"Good work, you have all passed stage one. Give yourselves a round of applause. Now we shall begin the next part of this little test. We'll be introducing enemies into your environment. Your goal is to steal their treasure. Good luck!"

Doors could be heard opening around training room B. Brett's team was closest to a door as it opened and were the first to see what emerged. It was a reptilian Grimm, almost two stories tall. It had small arms and sharp scales along its spine. Rylee's scream echoed all around the room.

"Wow, that's a BIG Grimm." Brett said, his eyes wide with terror.

"Are-" Ramona stammered "-are we supposed to kill this?"

The whole team stood frozen in fear for two whole minutes. The creature didn't move either.

"It doesn't do much does it?" Oscar scoffed. He walked right in front of the creature and started waving his arms in the air. "Hey Grimm! Hey Grimmy-Grimm! Do you even do anything?"

The Grimm continued to stand and do very little.

"I wonder why it's so still." Ramona asked

"Wait a second. Look over there." Rylee pointed, "Look behind it. There's a nest!"

"Why does it have a nest?" Brett asked.

"To keep its babies, obviously." Rylee said, then enlightenment dawned on her face, "Babies, right?"

"Oh god, here we go." Ramona sighed.

"Shush, sis, let me finish. So, babies… they are, like, nature's treasure, right? And we are supposed to take some treasure… so the treasure must be the egg!" Rylee said, with a huge grin on her face

"I misjudged you this time, Sis." Ramona said, "So, what, do we just take it?"

"What's the chance that if we do that, tiny here will hunt us down and have us for lunch." Brett said, preparing his rocket board.

"I'm a guess one hundred and ten percent." Oscar agreed. "D'you think we can out run it?"

Ramona prepared to start skating. "We might as well try."

"Okay, who's gonna get the egg, then?" Rylee asked gleefully. Everyone looked at her. "Darn." she shook her fist in mock anger, then frowned, "But I'm the slowest of the group."

"No problem, Rylee. Just use those ropes of yours to attach yourself to us. Soon as you grab the sucker, we can haul you off." Oscar said coolly.

As they'd expected the second Rylee touched the egg the creature let out a deafening roar and she screamed. It was hard to tell which was louder.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Mary jumped. "What was that noise?"

"I do not know." Richard said, looking up to Mary who was sitting on his shoulders

"Hope nobody's dead." Scarlet said nonchalantly.

"Are you sure you have a conscience?" Timothy asked in fake curiosity.

"Shush, runt!" Scarlet hissed as she marched on ahead.

"Ugh, why do we have to move so quickly?" Timothy whined.

"Don't be a baby." Mary said as Richard picked up the pace. Timothy looked like he was going to make a comment but shut his mouth and begrudgingly put one foot in front of the other. "Oh, Timmy, weren't you full of energy earlier? You know, 'going to show us who's super cool!' and all that jazz?" Mary made sure to put extra emphasis on cool. Timothy looked up and tried to look her in the eye, which was hard considering her vantage point on Richard's shoulders. Richard was already a fair bit taller than him.

"First off, if you're gona shorten my name, just use Tim. And secondly, I am still the coolest person around here." He changed the subject, looking around. "Looks like we're in a tropical forest or something. What even lives here?"

"That." Scarlet answered, pointing to the huge, reptilian form that had just come into view. It was an enormous Grimm, standing perfectly still, with curved horns, a clubbed tail and spikes running down its back. The team stopped in their tracks.

"So, uh, what is that?" Timothy asked, trying to remain cool.

"A creature of Grimm?" Richard pondered aloud.

"And a big one at that" Mary added.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious and Lieutenant Duh." Timothy rolled his eyes, "Any other astonishing facts you would like to lay upon us?"

"Ya'll, look over there, there's an egg." Scarlet said, her gun already aimed at the creature.

"Dear god, why did I join the idiot brigade?" Timothy moaned, then hit his head against a nearby tree.

"No, ya dunce, it's the treasure." Scarlet said, as she butted Timothy with her gun. He looked up, confused. Scarlet explained: "Eggs are like treasure chests. They're full of gold." Mary's face lit up.

"That must be it!" See said.

"Must it?" Timothy sighed.

"Can't be anything else." Richard pointed out.

"Can't it?" Timothy asked, sighing again.

"Let's go gets us an egg!" Scarlet roared as she opened fire on the beast.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Ryu sat up. "Did you guys hear that?

The others sat up too.

"Hear what?" asked Nathan.

"Hmm, I thought I heard gunfire."

"Well, we were supposed to have started the next part of the challenge now, weren't we?" Damian yawned.

"Only if you're ready to go." Gagana said in a soft voice. She had been this way since the first challenge. Maybe it was shock, or maybe she had gained some respect for Damian and him questionable way of saving them.

"So, uh, which way?" Nathan asked, looking around.

"Well, we heard a scream to the east and gunfire to the North, so I suggest we go south." Ryu said, looking very smug.

"How can you possibly know that?" Nathan asked, one eyebrow raised sceptically.

"I just have a good internal compass." Ryu shrugged.

"Let me see this compass." Nathan said, hand outstretched.

"Nathan, I don't think an internal compass is what you think it is." Gagana said with a giggle. Nathan blushed and looked at his feet

"Alright, let's get going." Damian said as he started walking southwards. As he pushed through the tree line he saw it: a very large Grimm with a massive head, a mouth full of sharp looking teeth and tusks protruding from its jawline. Thick armour plating covered its body.

"So guys, do you th-" Damian began, but was cut off by the sound of Ryu shooting at the Grimm. The force of the shot knocked it backwards, but it recovered, looked directly at Damian, and let out a bloodcurdling roar.

Damian didn't flinch. Instead, he puffed up his chest and let out a roar of his own, charging at the creature. The two butted heads and glared at each other, eye to eye. Then the Grimm whipped around suddenly, smacking Damian with its tail, sending him flying backwards to be caught by Nathan and Gagana.

"Damian, you ok?" Nathan asked pushing the team leader into his feet

"Where is Ryu?" Damian gasped as the air returned to his lungs.

"He's providing covering fire." Gagana called back as she bolted towards the Grimm. As she ran. Her weapons began to glow blue. She jumped up and delivered an upper cut that sent out a flurry of blue sparks. The Grimm's head jerked upward unnaturally, then plummeted down, jaws open wide and heading directly for Gagana.

Bang!

Another shot hit the grim, knocking its head to the side, and Gagana back-flipped out of the way.

"Damian, get me on top of it!" Nathan called out as he loaded his magazines. Damian fired a missile at his teammate's feet, launching him into the air. Nathan sent down a stream of pellets into the Grimm's head. The creature howled, stretched its neck towards the sky and clamped its jaws around this new attacker.

"Nathan!" Damian screamed, charging forward. "Open this fucker up!" He yelled, bombarding the Grimm with missiles. Ryu's next bullet hit its eye, causing it to cry out in pain. Gagana used this window to jump into its mouth after Nathan. Suddenly, a hole ripped open in the creature's neck and Gagana and Nathan fell out, Nathan continuing to pelt the open wound with bullets as they fell. The Grimm let out one final howl as it crashed to the ground and disappeared, leaving only dust in its wake.

Nathan lay on the ground panting, Gagana beside him.

"You okay?" Damian asked as he walked over. Nathan opened his eyes, and put on a slight grin. He looked a little shocked but not overly hurt.

"Glad to see you didn't become Grimm kibble" Ryu said, as he walked over from the tree line.

"Yea" Damian said with a slight laugh. He turned to Ryu, "Where were you, anyway?"

"I was lying in cover behind the tree line." he said, pointing.

"Fair enough. So where's this treasure?"

"Didn't the boss drop any?"

"Why would it drop anything?" Nathan asked.

"Because it's a boss monster." Ryu explained, looking at the spot where the beast had been lying.

"What makes it a boss monster?" Nathan asked him, eyebrows raised and mouth hanging slightly open.

"Do you see anything bigger around here?" Ryu stated bluntly, ending the conversation.

"So, um, what do you think the treasure is, anyway?" Gagana asked. Everyone thought to themselves. "Maybe it's some sort of valuable object." She concluded.

"I'm pretty sure the word treasure implies value." Ryu said, sneering at her.

"Maybe it's a weapon." Nathan said to nobody in particular.

"Maybe it's the gift of friendship." Damian said, a very serious look on his face. The other three looked at him, paused, and then burst out laughing.

"I think we can safely assume it is not that, Damian." Nathan chuckled. Ryu started to walk off. "Hey, where're you wandering off to?"

"Maybe the Grimm was guarding something?"

"So where are you gonna look?" Nathan asked as he caught up.

"I don't know." Ryu replied flatly. Damian looked at Gagana.

"I guess we will look over here." She nodded, and the two begun searching the grass where the Grimm had fallen.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Back in the monitoring room, Ruaridh and Gwynn were slouched over there, seats throwing a ball back and forth between them. The silence was broken by their colleague entering the room

"Mornin' lads! How's the teams progressing" She greeted them in an unusually chipper voice.

"Where were you?" Ruaridh asked, frowning. Gwynn ignored him and answered.

"Should be wrapping up in ten minutes or so, depending on how long it takes them to not die and find the treasure."

"Darn." the blue-haired woman stamped the heel of her boot against the floor. "Too late to take bets, then."

"Lafayette, we can't make bets on students." Ruaridh said, narrowing his eyes. She turned and winked at him,

"Oh you know I was joking." He rolled his eyes,

"Why do I not believe that?" Gwynn sensing conflict on the horizon butted in to change the subject,

"So how about we see how these students are doing." Ruaridh and Lafayette turned to look at the monitors, one was locked onto Scarlet and Timothy who were laying down suppressing fire, while the other showed Brett and co still running away and the last was showing Ryu and Nathan inside a dark cave.

"What's with that team," Lafayette said while pointing at Brett, "They do know they are supposed to fight it right?"

"I think there is more to that one then he's letting show." Ruaridh said, leaning back in his chair some more.

"Why's that?" Lafayette asked.

"I think I see what are associate means," Gwynn said zooming the camera out, "If he wanted to out run it he easily could but instead he's keeping it within a set range, matching its speed."

"Is he trying to tire it out? Can you tire out a Grimm?" Lafayette asked this time to Gwynn specifically.

"Yes I think that too, whether or not it's successful will be interesting though."

"Where did the twins go?" Ruaridh said pointing at the screen.

"They are right," he paused while mousing over the map "Mmmm... Where the heck are those two?" Lafayette giggled,

"Good work student observer." Gywnn, stilling searching was getting a little flustered now "May I remind you that, that is also your job too."

Ping

Gwynn let off a motion detector.

"Ah ha... What are they doing over there?"

Lafayette peered over his shoulder. "Where they at?"

"They seem to be moving quickly towards Scarlet's team.

"I wonder what devious plan they have."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Brett called out to Oscar,

"How much further?"

"E.T.A. 30 seconds" Oscar shouted back.

"Okay let's do this" Brett bent low and grabbed the front of his board and boasted strait forwards

"Grab on!" Rylee who had been waiting a few meters ahead chucked out a rope. He grabbed it with his left hand, propped his board onto his right and as he looped around Rylee he punched the Grimm on the nose. The force of the punch made it slam to the ground with a satisfactory thud.

"Hey is it dead," Oscar called out as Brett and Rylee went in for closer inspection.

"Pretty resilient isn't it," Brett said as he pulled his arm back and punched it again.

"Yea it just won't die," Rylee grunted as she slashed at it with her picks. The Grimm let out a howl as it tried to get back up.

"Oh no you don't," Ramona jumped in out of nowhere and kicked it back down onto the dirt. The Grimm faded to dust leaving only an imprint in the ground.

"Rylee you still got the egg?" Oscar asked. She pulled it out of her back pack,

"Sure do!" She held it aloft as she presented it to the group.

"So we sure this is the treasure?" Brett asked slowly

"Only one way to fine out" Ramona chucked as she gave the egg to Rylee and cupped her hands around her mouth. She took a deep breath and shouted

"YO GWYNN IS THIS EGG THE TREASURE!" There as a pause then a holographic screen burst into life in front of them as it lit up they saw Gwynn, Ruaridh and a blue haired teacher.

"Greetings Miss Teal, I see you have found yourself an egg-."

"It's the treasure, right?" She spluttered

"Ah well-." This time Ruaridh cut him off

"This is a test we can't tell you what to do."

"Well why the hell did you even show up," Brett moaned "Useless teachers."

"Look Mr Tawny there is nothing we can do about it" Gwynn replied bluntly.

"Yo Jet fighter" the blue haired teacher beckoned.

"You mean me?" Brett said pointing at himself.

"Yea you, do you know that saying about eggs?" She asked with a grin

"Lafayette quiet down!" Ruaridh barked.

"I was just giving him a-."

"Look out!" Gwynn shouted.

The team looked around just in time to see scarlet riding in on a Grimm squealing,

"YEEE HAAA!"

Brett and Oscar dived to the left, Ramona and Rylee to the right. While the Grimm charged strait forward.

"SORRY 'BOUT THAT!" Scarlet called out. Timothy, Richard and Mary ran along after it. The Grimm flailed as it tried to remove scarlet but she would not let go. As Brett and company were getting back up the Grimm had decided to come back round again.

"Guys use plan comet" scarlet called out from up high. Just like that Timothy started freezing water into icicles while Mary created a vacuum in her ball. One by one they were sucked into the ball forming a ball of icy spikes. Richard shouted

"Coming through" as he ran up to the floating spike ball and with a destructive punch sent it hurtling through the Grimm. It stood there for a second with a massive hole in its chest, as it fell to the ground it disintegrated leaving only ashes in the wind. Scarlet walked up to her team and high-fived them all.

"Good work guys, the combo was so cool," she was practically bouncing up and down as she said this.

"No worry scarlet" marry said in her cutesy voice as she gave her a little hug. Ramon tapped Brett on the shoulder,

"Hey how come we don't have battle plans?"

"Well um..." Rylee prodded him in the other shoulder,

"How come we don't have High-fives and group hugs?"

"About that um..." Oscar tapped him on the head.

"How come we don't have an egg?"

"What do you mean it's right- AHHHHH where's the egg!" He shouted as he flailed around wildly looking for it. Richard walked over to the now desperate Brett.

"What do you want?" Brett said agitatedly. He simply looked at his feet, Brett's eyes went from Richards face all the way down to his boots and then turned pale, his boots were covered in yellow goo. "Please don't tell me that's our egg."

"Sorry about that" Richard replied slowly. Brett grabbed Richard by the collar, his mouth making shapes but no real sounds coming out.

"Hey hands off." Scarlet said both pistols pointed at Brett.

"Guns down Cowgirl!" Rylee snapped flicking her transformed picks at her.

"Step down sister." Mary jeered with her ball spinning between her hands.

"Point that somewhere else" Ramona Barked as she kicked sending a blade whizzing past Mary's head.

"Bitch cool it" Timothy shouted as he pointed his water cannon at Ramona

"People please" Oscar called out, trying to be the voice of reasons, everyone's eyes darted from to one another's, time slowed down to a crawl. The silence was long, painful and dangerous.

"I think we came to the wrong picnic." Damian said as he came into view of the clusterfuck that was going on.

"Damian stop let's not get involved" Gagana beckoned as she tried to pull his arm the other way but it was too late, everyone's eyes were on him. He paused as he thought of a way to break the ice,

"So do you guys know where the treasure is?"

"Yea," Brett said as he glared at Richard "all over this guy's boots"

"Oh I see," Damian look confused, "so you guys don't mind if I take this" he bent down and picked a golden coin off the ground. The entire group asked what it was and Damian just shrugged and said, "The treasure I assume"

"We're did you find that?" Mary asked eyes almost knife like.

"Just over here," he pointed next to his shoe

"Wait that's where I stepped on the egg" Richard said with a confused face.

"Wait a second," Brett said as he let go of Richard, "are you saying the treasure was in the egg."

"Apparently." Damian said holding the coin aloft.

"We did think it might be." Scarlet said to nobody in particular.

"Hey Damian why did you run off." A voice called behind him. It was Nathan with Ryu running along behind him. "You won't believe we're we found the treasure- oh hi everyone" he said as he came into sight of the group, "Also not cool Damian, you were invited to the mid test party you should have told us too."

"Nathan this is more of a Vacuo standoff then a party" Gagana said rolling her eyes.

"Does that mean there are burritos?" He asked seriously

"No" Gagana said bluntly. He turned to Damian.

"What about Tacos?" He gave a resounding no. He whipped round to Ryu, "Nachos?" Ryu was taken aback but quickly recovered, "No. _Nachos_ isn't even a question."

"Nathan you really don't know what a Vacuo standoff is do you?" Gagana asked seriously.

"Man you are stupid" Mary jeered. Nathan fell to his knees and cried out "I'm not stupid I'm just hungry" and began to shed fake tiers.

"Nathan was the treasure in an egg?" Damian asked changing the subject.

"Yea how'd you know,"

"Well we just found one on the ground that's why."

Splat

Mary threw her egg on the ground.

"Mary!" Scarlet shrieked as her legs got covered in egg goo. She raked through the goo and plucked out a little coin.

"Yea we got it" she squealed in excitement. Damian looked at Brett,

"Heads up." And chucked him his coin.

"So are we done now?" Rylee asked the group at large. Gwynn's face flickered into life again,

"Yes you are all done, and I believe congratulations are in order" he said with a warm smile. "Now walk over to the centre of the room and you will be transported back up to the entrance." The students let out a joint cheer, some jumped and others whistled.

"Last one there is a rotten egg!" Nathan shouted as he bolted away from the group.

"Oh you're on!" Brett said as he jumped on his board and zoomed off.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

When Damian, Ryu, Nathan & Gagana returned to their room they were surprised to see that there was a parcel lying in their room. Upon opening it they found 3 sets of grey and white uniforms. Damian pressed the largest one against himself to check if it would fit.

"These are kinda neat, kinda like a present for wining." He said with a smile.

"If by present you mean daily requirement then yes they are." Gagana said taking her shirt and skirt walking into her bathroom.

"What Bundle of fun she is." Nathan said under his breath as she closed the door.

"We have only known each other for a couple of hours, so it's not surprising that she hasn't opened up yet." Ryu said while swapping shirts.

"How do I look?" Nathan said as he did a little half spin

"Utterly fabulous" Damian said completely dead pan.

"Nathan do you even know what buttons are for?" Ryu said with a finger pointing at all his buttons which were clearly undone.

"Aesthetic?" Nathan replied with a shrug.

"Come here." Ryu said as he started to fix up Nathan's buttons.

"Hey I can do that myself, I'm not a child" Nathan said while trying to resist.

"Your shirt says otherwise" Damian said while fixing up his uniform, "Ryu how do you tie a tie?" Gagana walked out of the bathroom in her grey uniform

"Man you guys are slow."

"Didn't know we were being timed." Nathan said now standing ready.

The intercom crackled into life and a familiar voice spoke.

"Greetings to all you new students who have passed your entrance tests, I – Headmaster Ironwood – would like to personally invite you all too main hall for a little celebratory activity. Most of you should have received your uniforms by this point so make sure you look sharp. I will see you there in half an hour."

"Well guys, you ready to roll?" Damian asked, adjusting his sleeves.

"Ain't no party like a hunter party!" Nathan shouted and pumped his arm into the air. Gagana rolled her eyes and looked like she wanted to say something but didn't. Just as Damian was about to open the door he was stopped by the sound of Nathan clipping his weapon holsters on.

"Nathan… The hell?" Damian could only just form words to express his reaction.

"Don't you always keep your weapon on you?" He replied.

"Well no I can't carry Fenrir everywhere, it's a missile launcher!" Damian spluttered.

"Well that makes sense," Ryu said as he clipped his weapon to its holster on the back of his belt, "I'd feel totally naked without Zang Jishu on me."

"Yea I don't feel safe without Tarw Hammer." Damian looked to Gagana for help and she answered by walking out the door.

"Come on Damian let's get going." Nathan said giving his shoulder a pat as he walked out.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

When they entered the hall they were taken aback by how large it was, the ceiling was so high up and was constructed of glass which was a brilliant orange in the afternoon sun. The room was decorated with little tables scattered around the main stage which was currently empty. Damian was surprised to see that they were not the first to arrive, there was a group sitting at a table to the far right of the stage, one of them caught his eye, a faunus boy with perky snow-white ears and a blood red blind fold – a fashion statement Damian wondered – it was a relief for him to see other faunus looking so in place. As Damian sat down he realised that his team were talking about something but he was to interested in scoping out the other team to take much part. Along with the White faunus boy there was an agile looking black human with spiky grey hair and a set of black headphones on. Next to him was a tanned girl with a orange cloth mask over her mouth which almost matched her short strait hair. Finally, there was a pale, brown haired girl a huge sword sitting next to her – it looked about six feet long and about a foot wide – Damian looked closer and realised that they were all armed. Maybe he was the weird one he thought to himself.

"Sup Damian, ma man how's it hangin'?" Damian was awoken from his slumber to see Brett and his team.

"Oh you know." Damian said with a giggle.

"Paddington what you giggling about?" Oscar asked

"Oh you lot just look super out of place in grey uniforms."

"Oh I thought you had a funny joke to tell us." Rylee said disheartened.

"If you wanna hear a joke I've got one," Nathan stated "So a Grimm walks into a bar an-." Gagana jabbed him in the side.

"Oh come on Gagana that one wasn't even rude or offensive." She didn't respond.

"Anyway see you dudes latter." Brett said as he walked over to a free table. Ryu and Gagana stated discussing plans about renovating the dorm room which caused Damian's mind to wander again. As he scanned the room a new group entered with not just one or two but a full four man faunus team. One was tall, – almost as tall as Damian –, had long spiky grey hair almost forming a main, and he was physically ripped with huge biceps that could be seen through his shirt. Behind him walked a purple haired girl in an orange hat, she wore a smile so large it was almost hilarious except it just came off as creepy. Next to her was a slender faunus with long black tipped ears and an eye patch – what's with all the injuries Damian thought to himself – he looked very sentinel-like, scanning the room in a similar way to the way Damian was himself. Their eyes met and he gave a little smile and a nod and continued. Damian though had lost track of the last team member but then realised that the orange haired girl was hiding behind her slender companion. She looked up to him then to Damian and have a little wave before she joined her group sitting round one of the tables next to the stage. Damian calmly waved back and realised that his team were all looking at him confused.

"Who you waving at?" Nathan asked.

"Oh just some other students." Damian replied.

"Who are they?"

"I don't know. I was just being friendly." Nathan looked at him, paused then said.

"Mmm ok whatever floats your boat just try not to zone out so much our initiation will be soon."

"Yea sure." Damian replied as he went back to scanning the room. No one else had arrived yet so Damian closed his eyes and begun to think. There are sixteen students here now, Crimson's team are still to arrive and if the eight new students are from a training group like the one I experienced then there should be another four students to show up assuming they all passed. That's twenty-four students total. Currently at least six are armed so really I'm not the weird one, Nathan and Ryu are just too paranoid but something seams wrong, I just figure out what it is. Damian's train of thought was broken by someone poking him in the side. Slowly he opened his eyes to see Mary standing there smiling.

"What's up sleepy head? You look ready to hibernate." Damian smiled limply and said.

"Just been thinking about a bunch of things."

"Aww poor guy shouldn't abuse that brain of yours on such tasks." Damian sat up properly, Nathan and Ryu were talking to Timothy and Crimson was doing a little spin to show off her uniform. Damian considered responding to Mary but she was still a bit too unpredictable in his mind so instead he prodded Nathan on the shoulder.

"Hey Nathan when is this supposed to start?"

"Oh look who's awake, and I'm not really sure, probable whenever the teachers arrive."

"We have guests." Mary said gesturing towards the door. Damian and Nathan looked over to see the supposed last group. First to enter was a thin girl with half white, half black hair, she wore a disdainful look on her face.

"What's this bitch's problem?" Mary muttered aloud.

Behind her was a smaller girl with bold crimson hair that was tied into two short pig tales. She was also carrying a blood red and white battle axe – which was almost the same size as her – on her back. Nathan nudged Mary and said

"Looks like someone is trying to steal your thing." Mary looked back indignantly.

"Bitch please, she don't got nothing on this." She said pointing at herself. After the red girl was a powerful looking girl, she was wearing a blue coat over her shoulders and was effectively dragging a timid and dejected green haired boy along with her. Once they sat down the main door closed its self and a light shone onto the stage. Ironwood walked forward into the spot light.

"Greetings students this evening we shall be officially assigning your teams, teams that you will work, study, live and grow with. So without further ado will Ms Bianca Lenoir, Ms Lyssa Marine, Mr Newt Spiegel and Ms Crimson Heartfilia please make your way onto the stage."

The last team to enter strutted on to the stage. All bar Newt looked very proud and dignified about being called up first. As they walked, a screen flickered into view, showing the name and a portrait of each student. As the students walked onto the stage the four teachers walked out from behind the curtain they were Ruaridh, Gwynn, Lafayette and Miss Sherwood.

"For their ruthless battle type and surprising levels of cooperation, I present to the room TEAM BLANK!" there was a small round of applause and Gwynn walked forward

"Next can we have a Ms Maya Brass, a Ms Qiu Lin, a Mr Yuki Inari and to finish up a Mr Demir Sharp?" The white haired faunus boy and his team walked up to the stage.

"For their perfect swordsman ship, and team work I present to you TEAM BLADE!" all four of them took a low bow, the other students clapped and they filed of the stage and Gwynn stepped back while Ruaridh walked forward.

"I now have the pleasure of presenting to you our academies own speed freaks Brett Tawny, Rylee and Ramon Teal and Oscar Citrine." Brett and his team took this as a cue to run up to the stage and do a front flip onto it as appose to walking. This caused some of the students clap and Crimson even gave a loud whistle. Brett walked up to Ruaridh and shook his hand before filing into line

"Here we have our fast acting opposed to fast thinking team," the audience let out a little chuckle, "TEAM BRO!" the whole team pumped their fists at the announcement of their new title then ran and jumped off the stage and walked back to their table.

Ironwood wood walked up to centre stage again.

"Now for my hand picked team of misfits," he put on something between a smile and a frown, "can Damian Carmine, Nathan Glas, Ryu Lu and Gagana Arkid please get up here." Damian decided to take Ironwood's tone of familiarity as a compliment as he got up and walked to the stage. It seemed that Nathan had has well as when he got to Ironwood instead of shaking his hand he put it up and motioned for a high five which he ignored and pushed Nathan into place.

"I present to you the already notorious team Dragon!" Damian and Nathan punched the air with the announcement, Scarlet gave a wolf whistle and Gagana looked like she was about to die of embarrassment and they all bowed and walked back to their table.

Lafayette stutter into the spot light. "Alright students let's start to wrap this up so we can move on to more fun things." Ruaridh and Ironwood shot her looks and she giggled awkwardly, "So ugh yea Scarlet, Mary, Richard and Timothy get your butts up here… Please" Scarlet lead them to the stage and vigorously shuck Lafayette's hand before gathering in centre stage.

"Let's have a big old Atlas welcome for the electrical and explosive team STORM!" Timothy and Scarlet let out YAHOOs and Scarlet through her hat high into the air and as she caught it bent low into a bow, the boys did the same and Mary gave a little curtsy before they walked back.

Miss Sherwood gracefully tiptoed up to the microphone,

"Good evening students before I introduce the last team I have a little something I'd like to say,"

"Boo!" Lafayette interrupted.

Miss Sherwood shot her daggers and continued with more haste

"Anyway I was just going to say when James, I mean Professor Ironwood let me join this school I was the only faunus, the only outsider but now I see a school were people from all walks of life are welcome so on that note let me introduce our exclusively faunus team. Can Ulrik Selestial, Cheshire Purpura, Ross Under-grove and Amber Meadow please take to the stage?" The four students walked onto the stage Ulrik looking confident, cheesier with her mad grin and Amber hiding behind Ross as usual.

"I hope this will be the first step in us working together for a better future for all of us. Now let me introduce team URSA." Like the teams before them they bowed low and returned back to their table.

"I know some of you may have found this ceremony long and tedious," Ironwood said with a glance to Lafayette," but we must all do things from time to time that we do not enjoy, even or especially if we have no incentive for doing so." He then clicked his fingers and little holes opened up on all sides of the room. From these holes emerged little robots, some carrying metal domes, others instruments.

"Admittedly we all want a little reward from time to time so here is one to all my new students." The robots started placing food on all the tables and a band stated playing in the back of the hall.

"Well doesn't this look tasty!" Nathan said, practically drooling.

"These robots are so cute." Ryu said as he tried to hug one.

"Ryu leave it alone it's probably very busy, but you are right, they are very cute." Gagana said as she took a plate off one of the robots. Damian raised a glass of cola

"To the birth and success of team Dragon, may are enemies burn and are treasures be grand."

"May are days be long and prosperous." Gagana added.

"And may we also snag a princess or two along the way." Nathan added. The boys chuckled, Gagana rolled her eyes cruising not them to continue laughing, she grinned to show she wasn't too annoyed.

After a couple minutes of eating and chatting Ryu who had fallen silent for a bit spoke up.

"Guys do you think we'll ever find a dragon?"

"Of course not, they are just things that your told about as kid so you'll behave." Gagana replied.

"Well I think they do." Nathan said with an unexpected tone.

"Yea me two." Nathan added.

"Wait you three are serious." Gagana asked.

"I don't see why they couldn't" Ryu replied.

"I mean you get some weird and wonderful Grimm so what's stopping you getting a large one with two legs, two wings a tale and breaths fire." Nathan said casually.

"No your wrong Nathan," Ryu said, which took the other to by surprise," it would have four legs, two is a wyvern."

"Really guys what's the difference, they are both made up?" Gagana said trying to inject some sends into the conversation.

"The difference," Damian relied, "is the number of legs. And I hate to burst your bubble but dragons ARE real."

"What about wyverns?" Nathan asked.

"Nathan, my friend, as normal I think you've missed the point." Ryu sighed.

"Yea Nathan. Ryu is right, so Damian do you have any evidence to back up this claim."

"I do actually," he took of his blazer and rolled up he's sleeves leaving his shoulders bare.

"Damian bringing out the guns?" Scarlet called from a table over. He waved her off and continued.

"She these scars." He pointed to a set of three parallel scares on each of his shoulders, "I got these when I was nine years old."

"Ok what do your scares have to do with dragons?" Gagana asked quizzically.

"I got them when I was attacked and carried away by a dragon." Nathan put his hands out and motioned him to pause.

"Hold the fucking phone. You were attacked by a dragon at the age of nine, how are you still alive. I feel like we are missing some crucial details." Gagana and Ryu nodded in agreement.

"Ok I'll start from the beginning."

"I do love flash backs." Nathan interrupt.

"Wanna hear my story then shut up. Anyway as I said it started eight years ago when I was nine years old. I was on a camping trip just south of the frozen planes with my parents."

"Question?" Ryu asked. Damian didn't answer but he didn't continue so Ryu went ahead. "Where is that."

"The frozen planes are the they area of Mantel were it is constantly snowing or ice covered. So yea we were a little below that and while on a walk a saw something in the sky and asked my dad what it was, he didn't know but almost as soon as I had asked it swooped down and grabbed me and attempted to take me away."

"Well what stopped it?" Ryu asked on the edge of his seat.

"I was saved by a traveling huntsman and his team, they are actually the reason I wanted to become a huntsman."

"Yea ok but who were they?" Gagana asked

"They went by the name of team Angel, and the man who saved me was called Arthur …" Damian paused to look and Nathan who had frozen eyes wide open and mouth dropped, "Arthur Glas?!" They both pointed at each other.

"Holy crap that was your dad?!"

"Holy hell you were saved by my dad!"

"Well this is quite the little revelation we have here." Gagana giggled at the two boys.

"Small world when you think about it." Ryu said with a snigger.

"We should probably get going back to our room well have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow." Damian said as he stood up.

"Hey Damian wait up." Scarlet called as she jogged over.

"What's up Scarlet?"

"You know where the student rooms are right? Mind taking us and BRRO with you."

"Yea no problem lets go, I'm tired."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

The next day team DRGN arrived at their first class of the day; it was a combat class with Lafayette.

"Morning kiddos." She said as she entered the room. "Today as you should be aware is your first combat class. Timothy grab these booklets and pass them around. Now today we will be reading this," she let out a disheartened sigh, "These bundles of notes are what the higher ups think you should know to prepare your selves." She collapsed into her chair. "Start reading until you find something that interests you, no questions, good." She pulled a flask out form below a pile of books took a swig and flopped over her desk. Damian and his other classmates looked around the room at each other in shock.

"Mmm Miss Lafayette aren't you going to, you know guide us through this?" Scarlet asked timidly.

"Man I'd love to doll but this stuff is dull as shit." She replied causing most of the students to giggle.

"But as our-"

"Look here Scarlet, I know you and everyone in this class for that matter can easily kill Grimm. Your entrance exam proved that. But just because you can beat a type of Grimm doesn't mean you can beat all types of Grimm. You need to learn how they work better than we currently do, as we don't know _that_ much." Scarlet looked disheartened and opened her book, most of the other students followed suit.

After a brief pause Ryu spoke out.

"So after we read all this drivel will we be able to fight?" Lafayette slowly lifted her head.

"Well you see Green Gunner there are exactly TWO things you must do to complete my class. First compile a report with a combination of your team your findings and currently existing data on a certain subject surrounding Grimm or Grimm related things. Then you must put your knowledge into practice by destroying a powerful Grimm or pack of Grimm by exploiting what you've learnt. In some cases, you may have to fight Grimm to test your theories ad from new hypothesis." Lafayette replied with the enthusiasm of reading a long bill.

Ryu flicked through his pile of notes and exhaled unenthusiastically. Until something caught his eye. He nudged Damian

"Look at this," he said pointing to a very small section in the notes.

"What is it?" Damian asked.

"It's a small report on Grimm that somehow possess the ability to manipulate dust. Sounds interesting right?" Damian looked into the document all it contained was a question for a heading and a few badly documented cases of grimm potently manipulating elements or showing powers similar those found by hunters and huntresses who exploited dust.

"Well we were talking about the idea of dragons the other day and this could be an interesting lead." Ryu said eyes full of curiosity.

"I guess some old tales involved Grimm which could control the elements." Damian said thinking to himself.

"It looks like anything we add to this will be contributing a lot to it as it's so shot." Nathan said.

"Okay were not going to find anything here." Ryu said before jumping off his chair and heading to the door. Lafayette looked up.

"Where are you off to?" she asked.

"I'm gonna find a fire breathing dragon grimm and kill it and see how it works."

"Well I'm not saying id condone that but-." Lafayette replied before Ryu sped off.

"Back in a few." He said as he jogged out of the door.

"Miss Lafayette aren't you going to stop him!" scarlet exclaimed. She replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I was going to warn him but he ran off. Aye Damian you should probably go catch him." Damian got to his feet and grabbed his bag.

"DRGN Roll out." he said as he left the room. Gagana looked at Nathan who chucked his notes in his bag and ran out the door after his leader. The three of them jogged down the corridor and caught up to Ryu.

"So what's the plan Ryu?" Damian asked

"Well as I see it," he took out his scroll and brought up his time table, "we have just under 3 hours to do some recon." Damian over took Ryu and stuck his arm out to block his way.

"Look here Ryu I know you think your tough shit and all but could you please bring up your crazy escapades with your team before you speed off."

"I'm sorry but I don't need to sit in a room reading crappy note when real world work is to be done."

"Guys shut up." Nathan whispered heatedly as he pushed the two of them into a cupboard.

"Nathan the fu-."

"Damian shush!" Gagana opened the door a crack then immediately closed it and put her finger over her mouth. They all stayed dead silent then they heard something outside. The sound of footsteps coming down the hall. Then they herd the muffled sounds of voices.

"James I know you don't see my project finishing anytime soon but I assure it's almost done I'm just one brake through away."

"Joseph you have been _one brake through away_ for the last five years what makes you think you're any closer now?" the footsteps stopped and their voices got more heated.

"Well that's just rude, you're acting like I've given you nothing up to this point, every six months for the past five years I've updated and improved the prototype."

"Alright but what makes you think your any closer now?"

"This!"

"Wait? Is that, what I think it is?!"

"Yes, this is how she will gain an aura."

"She? Why not give it to Nick?"

"Nick is your son not mine and to be honest he isn't very well suited for this. I mean he won't be compatible."

"I'm not sure how well he'll take it but if that's the case let's get down to the work shop and start on this right now."

"Ha ha ha ha, oh James you do love playing with your toys." The footsteps died off but the team still stayed dead silent until a minute after voices were out of reach just to be sure.

Gagana opened the door and they all fell out.

"Why do I have the feeling we just heard something we weren't meant to." The others go to their feet.

" _We_ ," Damian said trying to stay calm, "did not hear anything and we won't speak of it again. Right?"

"Got ya" Nathan replied.

"Now what were we doing before we decided to inspect the cleaning closet?" Ryu asked.

"Something about taking down a big ass Grimm." Damian replied.

"Hey," Gagana Called, "there is an empty room over here let's have a little chat." It didn't seem like she was going to take no for an answer so the boys walked in and closed the door while Gagana grabbed some bits of paper and a pen.

"So what exactly is the objective?" she asked politely.

"We have to find and destroy a mythical fire breathing Grimm." Ryu replied. Gagana wrote his exact sentence down on the paper.

"Now let's break this down into more manageable tasks. Number one, we will have to find a class three Grimm."

"Question," Nathan said with his hand raised a little, to which Gagana nodded, "Does it even exist? I mean we can't be sure."

"I mean we have a few leads but nothing concrete, am I right?" Damian asked the group at large.

"We'll add that to the list then." Gagana said cheerfully, "So Step one look in to find out whether or not it is even real, Step two find out where it would be, Step three … find a way to most effectively deal with and document it?"

"Wouldn't that be step four, three being getting Lafayette to see us defeat it?" Ryu said. Nathan picked up a pen and circled the new point four.

"I'm not going to lie our current level of _teamwork_ ," he said with air quotes," has been us all just attacking the same thing and hoping for the best so can we work on that."

"Good idea, I'll start." Damian said grabbing a piece of paper

"Start what?" Nathan replied curiously.

"I am Damian Carmine-,"

"We know that." Ryu interrupted.

"Shush I'm not done. My weapon is a missile launcher called Fenrir, because of this I specialise in ranged combat but I am not hopeless in melee due to my semblance, Beast mode-."

"Beast mode seriously?" Ryu chuckled. Gagana slapped the back of his head and motioned to Damian to continue.

"Beast mode, which increases my offensive capabilities in melee combat. Now you can ask your freaking questions."

"Doesn't Fenrir transform in some way?" Nathan asked

"Nope I doesn't need it to. When me and my dad originally built it we had the idea of if this doesn't kill it what will."

"Ok I'll go next." Gagana said in a chipper tone

"Gagana Arkid here, I use Indara's Might," she showed off her gauntlets, sandals and head piece, "they allow me to infuse my attacks with dust. The dust comes from these little cards, which are just compressed and shaped dust. They fit into the sockets on Indara's Might." They boys gave her blank and confused looks. "I'll show you how they work in a second, now my semblance is teleportation which I use to swap between different kinds of dust and reload." She could see that the boys were still not quite getting it so she laid out five dust cards on the table then one by one teleported them into her weapon without touching them. Once all locked in she performed some practice punches and kicks, with each movement she sent forth fire, lightning, ice and blasts of wind.

"That's pretty cool but too complicated for me." Damian said with a grin.

"That's probably because all you do is point your weapon at things and make them go boom." She replied

"I mean you're not wrong." Ryu chuckled.

"Okay me next." Nathan declared.

"Nathan Glas first time speaker long time listener, self-proclaimed mid-ranged specialist I use Thaw Hammer to suppress and destroy my targets. In ranged mode it is a fully automatic shotgun and in Melee it is a breaching hammer which uses the shotgun shells to provide a little extra punch on impact. My semblance allows me to drastically increase my defence at the cost of my speed. If I gave it a name, I'd call it castle stance."

"What do you mean _if_? All semblances need names." Damian said enthusiastically.

"Damian I think that's a you thing." Nathan replied.

"Guess it's my turn." Ryu said as he stood up and transformed his weapon. "This is Zang Jishu, it is three modes; a Melee combat mode which is a Kwan dao, a ranged mode which is an Anti-material rifle and its third form is a compact travel mode. My semblance is visible spectrum augmentation."

"What on Remnant is that?" Damian asked.

"I can change what wave lengths I can see so I can see infrared, ultra violet and X-rays, even specfifc things like people's Aura. This allows me to see the invisible and find their weaknesses."

"Well that makes a little more sense. So what was the next problem?"

"Are these Dragon Grimm real." Nathan replied. Gagana got to her feat. "To the library."

"That would be the best place to look." Nathan added

"Guys where is the library?" Ryu asked causing Gagana to stop mid step.

"I have no clue actually."

"Isn't it on our scrolls?" Ryu said pulling his out. "Yup down third left then second right."

"Couldn't you have just used your semblance to find it?" Damian asked.

"I can see X-rays I don't have X-ray vision, big difference." Ryu replied shakily.

Later in the library they gathered a load of books on Grimm knowledge.

"So turns out that a Grimm we are looking for are slightly more noted then the report would have you believe but most of these sightings, if you could even call them that, come up in fairy tales." Nathan said sounding a little disgruntled

"The common themes are, a snake like body, sometimes with wings sometimes not, but can always fly, zero to six limbs and the ability to control the elements in some way." Ryu added.

"Good work guys." Damian said.

"It seems like we don't have many options when it comes to Location." Ryu said bringing up a page in the book he was reading, "Only options are cliff sides, mountains and fissures."

"We don't really get many Death Stalkers in these parts so Nevermore or Mountain Pounder I guess." Damian commented.

"Does anyone know the story of the boy and the black beast, it keeps coming up but I can't find it." Gagana said while jotting in her book.

"Yea I know it, my dad told it to me a couple times it goes something like this." Damian said then cleared his throat.

"There was once a fishing village who rested at the base of a large mountain. life in the village was simple, it was ruled by a powerful chef who had a meek son. One night the son dreamed of a terrible evil would engulf his people, burning their huts, drowning the elderly and crashing the mountain down on the town's hunters. When the son told his father his father simply passed it off as a bad dream and left to the sea to hunt. When he returned later that day he came back with a large black serpent, he paraded around the town showing it off. His son and the rest of the village came to admire his catch but when the son gazed into the serpent's eyes he heard a voice in his head.

Set me free! It said. He tried to persuade his father against eating his prize but his father would not listen. He stabbed the beast with his trident and spear. The voice howled in the boy's head again.

I warned you! Know I will be back and I shall kill you with your own weapons! it screamed.

Five years later when the boy went on his first hut in the woods near the base of the mountain the boy was confronted by a large black beast with blood red eyes, for powerful limbs which ended in talons and a jaw full of sharp teeth. It roared at him and he heard a voice in his head.

We meet again! If you let me feed upon you I shall let your people live! The boy jumped high into the trees and cried for help, then attack the beast with his whip. Quickly his father and a group of hunters arrived and killed the beast, this time burring it to ash.

Every time you kill me I gain more power! My ashes shall spawn a new form of terror and will make you wish you had simply let me eat you!" the voice screamed before disappearing again.

This marked the arrival of two things; the grimm and an endless stream of nightmares for the child hunter. Over the next fifty years the boy became chief of his village and thought the grimm until the faithful day the voice returned to him. It came to him as he slept. With his wife and his own family.

Your doom has arrived! I shall be upon you by sundown! Come to the top of the mountain and fight me! Do not tell a soul or I shall bring it down and kill all that you hold dear to you!

He woke and grabbed his sword, some rope and ran to the mountain climbing it as fast as he could in his old age. When he reached the top of the mountain he found a polished flat plain as if the mountings tip had been cut off by a godly blade. He stood there and looked around for the creature. There was a flash of darkness as something shot into the air and crashed right in front of him. It was the beast that had been haunting him all his life. Now it stood on limbs the size of tree trunks, great black wings that blocked out the sun and its head extended on its long neck touched the sky.

I know you've been waiting for this day, I've been feuding off your fear, your anger, your doubt! it said fire spewing from its mouth.

Your right. The now man said. But I fear you no more! he shouted dropping his word by his side. And I now know how to defeat you. He said his voice ringing across the mountain.

You arrogant fool! The beast shouted and engulfed the man in fire. The man stood their unharmed. The beast looked shocked but followed it up by sending tremendous gales down to crush the man but yet he still stood unharmed.

What are you! the beast screamed as it lashed out with its claws.

I am a man with nothing to fear, I am a man who has no regrets, I am _your_ nightmare. He said as he walked to the beast which quivered.

How I've terrorized you your entire life! I've killed your people and haunted your dreams! How are you fear less are you just dumb! it screamed calling down lighting. The man walked closer.

A man who is prepared to meet the unknown and evil head on, who has already seen the worst has nothing to fear as the fear of the unknown is the most powerful fear of all. So you a creature of fear have no power over me. The man then placed his palm on the beast and the beast shrunk and quivered into a tiny worm.

One-day ill return! the worn shrieked

Well my people heard me and know how to defeat you, they shall tell their children of it so you may never rise to power again. The man then turned into pure light and encased the worm in an egg, which rolled down into the centre of the mountain where it waits to this day. waiting for humanity to lose hope and become engulfed by fear so the beast can return and rule."

"Man I love stories!" Damian looked up to see Scarlet sitting across from them. Gagana put her finger to her mouth to remind Scarlet they were in a library. "oh sorry," She said more quietly, "Lafayette told me to find y'all, we all assumed you'd just be goofing off, but it seems you were serious about going out and actually killing a Dragon."

"Well we are hunters." Ryu said from behind his book.

"What I'm saying is I think teach only let you off so easily because she didn't actually think you'd all actually try to do it."

"So does she want us back then?" Damian asked.

"I think so but can I ask why you chose this specifically?" Scarlet asked.

"Well it was something most if not all of us found interesting and seemed simple enough."

"Are you sure it's going to be _that_ simple, what if you get in trouble out there? You could die!" Scarlet asked anxiously.

"You think we can't handle it?"

"Well I'm not sure, that's why I'm concerned."

Mary popped up next to Scarlet.

"What's taking you slowpokes so long?" she looked a little peeved to say the least. "Scarlet was taking too long, Lafayette thought you must have found a magical cupboard or something to get lost in for her to take this long."

"Sorry about that Mary, Guys can we head back to the class room."

"Fine Scarlet well come along."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

The six students arrived back at the class room to a find Lafayette in a bit of a mood.

"Come over here guys I need to talk to you." She seemed a Lot colder and more professional than usual. "Look I know what I said earlier but I thought you just wanted to goof off but now I know you're serious I guess I have no choice but to stop you." Damian looked to his peers then back to Lafayette.

"Okay, how do you intend to do that?"

"Well aren't you lot cocky, you know I am a huntress and I have more combat experience than any single person in this building." She snapped, causing the students to flinch a little.

-Ding dong ding dong- . The sound of the bell rang killing the conversation.

"Well I guess we'd better get going." Nathan said with a smirk.

"Yea see you later Teach." Ryu said as he slipped out the door.

As they walked down the hall towards the lunch hall Brett and the rest of team BRRO sped along to catch up to them.

"Yo Damian what's up?" He asked.

"Oh hi Brett, you know just rebelling against the system you?" He answered jokingly.

"Quick question," Ramona asked as she started circling around the lot of them, "what's this we've heard about you lot ditching the books and going out to have some fun?"

"I mean I wouldn't quite call it that." Damian said hesitantly.

"But you are doing a thing." She said excitedly

"Get me a sandwich before the que gets too big and I'll tell you everything you want to know." Ryu interrupted

"Actually Ramona grab us all sandwiches will ya." Brett asked nonchalantly.

"Challenge accepted." She replied as she sped of down the hall at brake neck speed.

"Now let's sit down and see what you guys have dug up?"

"I don't quite see why you guys can't do your own research?" Gagana asked sternly.

"Oh we are. We just want to make sure we aren't standing on anyone else's toes."

"Fair enough." Nathan replied in Gagana's place and explained what they had found out. Upon hearing all that Damian had to say Brett put on a frown and said.

"Well I guess you wouldn't have gathered that much in such little time."

"What did you expect?" Nathan asked through a mouth full of bread to which he shrugged.

"Well while you are studding dragons and what not we have decided to try and categorise as many of the grimm as possible.

Rylee's eyes lit up and she quickly whispered something to Ramona which caused her to smile.

Ramona leaned into the table.

"Have you guys ever heard of GRMM?" DRGN collectively paused. Ryu spoke up first.

"Sorry I think I miss heard you because I thought you were asking us if we'd heard of the MONSTERS that we are TRAINING TO FIGHT!" Another paused fallowed this one more awkward but it was broken more quickly by the Teal twin's laughter.

"Nah bro," Ramona said cheerfully, "we didn't ask if you'd heard about Grimm we asked if you'd heard about GRMM?"

"I am not hearing a difference between those words there." Nathan said agitatedly.

" no M," Rylee replied.

"Okay what is thi M."

"It's a team of hunters and huntresses who do extrema sports and Grimm hunting videos." She said as she loaded up a video on her scroll. The video showed two hunters jumping about and preforming crazy stunts while decimating a Grimm in close combat to some very upbeat music.

"As interesting as that was," Nathan said as the video ended, "what about this is helping us, apart from maybe copying their fighting styles?"

"No silly you can film yourself with a body mounted camera. Well that's what we are doing anyway"

"So we don't have to have Lafayette see us personally take down the Grimm?"

"Yea I think so."

"You're just filling me with confidence." Ryu said absentmindedly.

"Guys you know Lafayette said she was going to stop us right." Gagana said to the group at large.

"What's she gonna do?" Brett asked curiously. Damian shrugged his shoulders.

"She did seem pretty serious though, maybe we should watch out."

"For what Damian, she's a teacher what's she going to do?" Ryu scoffed

-Click-

Ryu felt something cold and metal against the back of his head. He slowly turned around to see Lafayette holding a gun to his head.

"I have a proposal for you lot. Scarlet tell them what it is." Scarlet and the rest of STRM walk over while Timothy mumbled something about not even being involved yet. Scarlet pulled out an envelope.

"I have send one of these to each of your dorms, inside is a message which goes as fallows. I like my cushy job here but in a moment of boredom and misjudgement I may have allowed you knuckled heads an opportunity to fuck that up so I will be monitoring you from this point onwards so you don't do anything that will get ether of us in trouble. If you try to leave the grounds for your crazy adventure, I will stop you. Get the message." She finished.

"So what your saying is. We just have to beat you in a fight and we can be on our way." Ryu asked slyly. Lafayette's jaw dropped, and her face reddened.

"Maybe I should make an example out of you right now." She said digging the barrel of her gun into his cheek.

"Sure thing we've still got time." The two of them got up and walked towards the training rooms. The remaining students looked at each other and then followed suit.

By the time they arrived at the training room Ryu and Lafayette were already pacing to each end of the room and entering the fighting positions.

"From this point onwards I'm going to let Mary-Anne do the talking." Said drawing her weapons.

"Just how I like it." Ryu said boldly, though it seemed he was shaking a little.

"Ten lien on Lafayette." Richard said bluntly

"Nobody is going to bet FOR Ryu so I don't see what you mean by that." Brett scoffed.

"Okay, ten lien on Ryu losing in the First minuet."

"Ouch, harsh." Damian said in Ryu's defence.

"Damian's right, I say three minutes." Nathan said while he took out his wallet.

"I CAN HERE YOU LOT!" Ryu shouted.

"Is this an official match?" Scarlet asked

"Yes it is," a familiar voice boomed form above. Everyone looked up to see Gwynn's face on a monitor as par-usual. "I don't really know what the quarrel is but I do love to see a good fight. Our fight today shall be Lafayette Merrigan verses Ryu lu odds are currently two hundred and forty to one and they shall be fighting in the desert stage." Before Damian could ask what he meant by stage the walls started to glow bright white and the environment changed to mimic that of a vast snowy wasteland.

"Is this how we ended up fighting in a jungle during our entrance exam?" Mary wondered aloud.

"Gwynn when you said Dessert I expected sun burn not frost burn." Lafayette shouted to which Gwynn shrugged and began a count down from three.

"Three!"

Lafayette cocked her pistols and Ryu pulled back the bolt on his rifle and loaded in a magazine.

"Two!"

Both fighters aimed at each other trigger fingers at the ready.

"One!"

"Fight!" a green light flashed from the roof and both competitors shot. Ryu narrowly dodged the two shots that went sailing past his ears, but the sound was still deafening, Lafayette on the other hand dodged Ryu's shot like it was nothing. She immediately dashed towards Ryu who tried to move but his ears will still ringing. Ryu shot at her feet, this time she jumped high into the air and smashed her heel right onto Ryu's head sending him straight into the snow. Lafayette jumped back and locked her weapons onto Ryu.

"Looks like we may have a knock out folks." Gwynn announced oddly enthusiastically. Lafayette laughed and turned walked away.

"That ought to put everyone in their place." Though the moment she turned round Ryu fired a shot of at her which hit her square in back and knocking her back to the other side of the room. By the time Ryu got to his knees she was already firing shots down range at him, he transformed his weapon and spun it around creating a scudo shield. Lafayette's pistols transformed into a pair of cutlasses and began to hack away at Ryu who was doing all he could just to block her stated to faultier. Ryu slammed the base of his weapon into the ground and propelled himself into the air at the cost of another round, for the brief seconds he had in the air he tried to catch his breath and fire of some pot shots which she dodged with ease causing Ryu to swear loudly.

"Fuck why can't I hit you!" he shouted as he unloaded the last of his ammo in Lafayette's direction.

"That was a cheap shot before and it won't happen again!" she retorted aggressively. Ryu used the range of his weapon to his advantage, making long wide swings so she couldn't get in close. She slashed and lunged but couldn't quite get close enough to the point where Ryu started to regain his composer. Then in a moment of hope he lunged for her leaving himself wide open, which she immediately exploited by in a single fluid moment she dodging his attack, knocked his weapon out of his hands and put her blade to his throat. Ryu raised his hands in surrender.

"We have a winner people, Lafayette Merrigan!" Gwynn shouted and then quieted down when he realised that no one else was going along with it. A stream of tears started to roll down his face.

"Thank you for the fight." He said trying to keep his composer. Lafayette – who looked just as confused if not more so then the students – paused for a second before saying something quietly to Ryu. She then walked off with a disheartened look on her face.

Damian, Nathan and Gagana ran over to him. Nathan brought him into a hug.

"It's okay dude, we'll get her next time." Ryu pushed him away and said.

"I'm not crying because I lost the match."

"Oh, why are you crying then?" Gagana asked.

"Reasons, personal ones" he sniffed.

"Well let's get you cleaned up we have class soon."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

After a quick trip to the bathroom to clean up Ryu team DRGN headed off to their next class. When they entered the room they were greeted by Ruaridh King and took their seats.

Once everyone had settled down Ruaridh stood up and turned on a large screen behind him.

"Good afternoon students, I am your practical defence teacher, I'm sure I've met most of you at one point or another but for those who don't know my name is Ruaridh king, if you want to write it down."

"Quick roll call, do we have teams DRGN, STRM & URCA?" he asked to which the students looked around and mumbled a yes. He then stated a slide show showing an array of different hunters and huntresses fighting with a wide verity of different weapons.

"I will be teaching you how to make the most of any weapon you currently have or may obtain. Now I'd like to some of the classes weapons to see what sort of verity we have, let's have the first by first letter of first name of each team." This caused the teams to flick around between each other until Damian, Mary and Amber walked forwards. When told to present their weapons Damian immediately felt a little out of place as both girls' weapons where small and elegant while his was large and clunky.

"Okay Amber let's start with you," this caused Amber to turn bright red and hide behind her weapon, "Amber?" while amber struggled to compose her self-everyone started to eye up her weapon which looked like a simple black box, hung around her on a strap.

"Th… This is Warning." She mumbled, she then took a deep breath and started again. "This is Warning Call, it is a weapon of my own creation, and it has three modes, it is currently in a compact travel mode and with a flick of a switch," upon hitting the switch the weapon jumped to life, folding out into a small rifle shape and it started to emit light form various openings. "It turns into a sub machine gun. I decide when building it that bullets are a little in inefficient so Warning Call uses needles coated in dust as ammo, more of a hassle to obtain but much more effective." She was now looking a lot calmer. She then flipped another switch and the weapon sprung to life again. "Its final form is a bat so I can hit things that get to close."

"Now that is a great example of a complex multi-function weapon, you can see that its designer thought of a multitude of scenarios and how to overcome them. Damian you're up next." Damian pulled his Fenrir of his back and felt a little embarrassed about how simple his weapon was.

"Ugh yea this is Fenrir, it's a missile launcher. It can store twelve rounds and I can fire them all of in about four seconds which usually makes any problems disappear." Damian felt bad about that fact he had nothing more to talk about.

"Now this on the other hand looks like a simple yet effective weapon, I'm guessing you have some sort of melee centric fighting style or semblance to cover you when things get to close for missiles?" Ruaridh asked.

"Yea I do, I have a raw strength semblance which also makes carrying Fenrir easier."

"See the hunter in question has taken their unique fighting styles into account when crafting their weapon."

"Well I didn't build it all myself," Damian interrupted, "My dad helped me build it, he's a miner so he knows a bit about explosives."

"Good good, okay last up was Mary, what you have to show us because I have no clue what that is." Mary giggled a little before lifting her metallic ball aloft.

"This is my weapon, the Vacuum ball, it is a weapon only usable by me as it revolves around using my semblance of air flow control to pull in targets and crush them."

"Ah I see. This is what I guess you'd call, fine turned for personal use to the point it is also useless to anyone else." This caused Mary to frown. So he quickly followed up with "Which is not a problem." He paused and grumbled something to himself.

"Does anyone have any questions for these there?" to which the class didn't respond. After a moment Ross raised his hand. "Yes ross ask away."

"Mr King I was wanting to ask, what is your weapon?"

"Well I guess I can show you. You three can sit back down." He said as he walked over to a locker. Once he returned to the centre of the room h presented a shield that was nearly as large as he was.

"Teach I'm not sure how to tell you this but a shield is not a weapon." Timothy said trying to hold in his laughter.

"You'd be surprised what this much mass and surface area can do to a person and yes I know the shield is not a weapon smart ass." He then slammed the shield into the ground causing a deafening sound and a rod popped out of the top, he then pulled on it and out came a whole great sword. "This is Bannockburn my shield and sword."

"So you're a simple type like Damian." Timothy cawed.

"I will hit you." Ruaridh replied bluntly. "Aren't you another Hyper-specific type like Mary?"

"No man I got a water cannon that can be used by anyone." He replied proudly.

Ruaridh walked to the back of the class room and started to write something on the bored. Once he was done he step to the side to show a bold sentence stating. "New rule of class: if your weapon is worse than the person you are talking to you should stop talking." Which caused the majority of the class to laugh at Timothy.

"It would see we have a lot of pent up energy here so how about a quick fight for us to analyse. Any volunteers."

Timothy started to stand up but upon seeing Ulrik doing the same promptly sat down.

"Okay Ulric your pretty melee focused from what I gathered from your test data so why not someone else close and personal."

"You have files on use?" Ulrik asked

"Well of course we do."

"Then why did you ask the students to show off their weapons earlier."

"I mean it was mainly for everyone else's benefit."

"Okay" Ulrik finished with a little shake of head.

"Anyway Damian how about you fight him." Damian gave a blank stare.

"You want me to use Fenrir in a crowded classroom?"

"No I want to see that Semblance you were talking about."

"I mean I can't" Damian replied. Gagana leaned over and whispered to Damian.

"What's wrong? Normally you love fighting."

"Now that is just untrue. I just get in a lot of fights."

"So what's the problem now?"

"Oh I just don't feel like it right now you know?"

"Seriously." Gagana replied with a cold expression and proceeded to push Damian out of his chair.

"Okay I'm going I'm going." As he walked to meet Ulrik Ruaridh punched something into is scroll causing his desk to move up to the wall and all the students' desks and chairs to move backwards leaving a large open circle.

"Okay lets a have a little spare. First person whose aura begins to faultier will be declared the loser and then the crowd shall tell us why the outcome occurred so make sure you pay attention." Ulrik extended his hand.

"Let's have a little fun." He said with an odd smile. Again Damian found Ulrik hard to read but he decided to no fallow the issue and instead shook his hand and then walked and entered a wide fighting stance. Ulrik on the other hand dropped into more of a sprinters stance but looked ready to fight none the less.

-Clank Clank-

Ruaridh slapped his sword of his shield to incite the match. Damian looked back to Ulrik and frozen when he wasn't there. He quickly dodged back as launched an upper cut strait off the bat. Damian could sense that Ulrik was going to be tough so he switched to a more defensive stance. Ulrik let lose a torrent of punches. Damian was able to block with his raised arms. Ulrik swung in from the right, Damian took his chance. He ducked and countered with a gut punch. Ulrik wince and stepped back. Damian keeping up his advantage charged forwards with a left upper cut sending Ulrik to the floor. As he hit the floor Damian slammed his elbow into his gut again. Damian backed off and waited for Ulrik to crawl to his feet as he gasped for air.

"Ulrik you're getting pretty beat up do you want to continue?" Ruaridh asked. Ulrik spat on the ground, generating some disgusted looks.

"I'll be just fine." He replied wiping he face with his hands. A moment later he charged at Damian, entered a defensive stance again. Damian was having a harder time blocking, Ulrik was attacking relentlessly, using his speed to make sure Damian couldn't get an opening. Damian felt his aura draining away so he let out a roar and activated his semblance. Ulrik darted back dew to the sigh of Damian's giant red bear form. Damian gave Ulrik a pause to see if he would withdraw but when it seemed like that wasn't going to happen he leaped at Ulrik. In this form Damian had a fair bit more reach so Ulrik kept at ranged ant started using more highflying moves. Damian lashed out swipe after swipe but he couldn't hit Ulrik. He could feel himself slowing down and he could see Ulrik had picked up on that too. He chased Ulrik into a corner, but Ulrik jumped, bounced off the wall and spin kicked Damian in the face. Damian crashed to the ground. Ulrik walked over to Damian and planted his foot firmly on Damian's chest so he couldn't move.

"That was a good fight." Ulrik said as he panted. He put on a grin which Damian returned.

"What do you mean was?" Ulrik's face turned to shock as Damian rolled. Ulrik started to fall and Damian grabbed him from behind and began to crush the life out of him. Ulrik tried to escape but he was truly stuck. Damian suplexed Ulrik. With the sound of the two hitting the ground Ruaridh called the match. The class cheered and booed and Ruaridh walked over to the boys.

"Both of you though well," he said excitedly, "this will give us at least a weeks' worth of theory and discussion." The two boys gave upbeat groans. The two teams walked over and picked up their leaders.

"That was so cool!" Nathan said gleefully.

"Yeah we were all on the edge of our seats" Ryu added trying not to sound too impressed.

"Okay students that about wraps us up for today you can all do whatever it is students do with their free time these days." Ruaridh announced to the class.

"What should we do it's still a bit till dinner?" Nathan asked.

"Is food all you can think about?" Gagana asked.

"Meals are a universally accepted way of passing the time." Nathan replied.

"Can we just go back to our room and chill for a bit?" Damian asked.

"Sure thing." Ryu said as he pulled Damian onto his shoulder. Nathan supported him on his other side and said.

"Off we go."

"Hay Damian can I speak with you for a moment?"

"Never mind." Nathan said mid step. They turned around to see Ross holding Ulrik up.

"Ulrik isn't in much of a state to talk but I know he'd want me to give you this." Ross pulled out a little card from his breast pocket and handed it to Damian.

"Sorry about that by the way," Damian replied as he took the little card, "and thank you."

"No worry Ulrik seemed like he was enjoying himself to the end." Ross said waving off Damian's comment. Cheshire peered out from behind the boys and pulled Amber out with her and said.

"That was a _grand_ fight see you lot latter." And she pulled Amber off before she could say anything.

"I guess I'd better follow them, bye." Ross said as he jogged after his team. As they passed around the corner Gagana shuddered.

"That girl creeps me out. Something about those bright yellow eyes and that toothy grin."

"I second that." Ryu added.

"Third…ed." Nathan added.

"That's a bit mean you barely know her." Damian said defensively.

"It's just an observation." Ryu replied.

"Yea and what you aren't around to hear ain't going to hurt you." Nathan finished.

"Fine let's just get back to the room." Damian said now too tired to care.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

When they arrived at their room Damian was unceremoniously chucked onto his bed and the others went about their daily routines. Nathan sat in his bed reading comment boards on his scroll, Ryu played games on his bunk a top of them. Gagana sat next to her desk reading unknown books. They had all only been here less than a week and were already developing habits. Damian thought about asking the others if they wanted to do anything, but quickly realised that they all seemed busy. His arms were still sore, so he decided to just mull over his thoughts.

He lay there for a while in a bit of a daze. He reached into his pocket to grab his scroll, when something brushed up against his hand. He pulled it out, and found it was the card that Ross had given him earlier. On one side was a symbol, a brown paw print with a yellow eye in the middle. On the other side was a note, which read:

"Dear Recipient, you have been proven worthy of further investigation by the faunus Protection Society. If you wish to help your kin, we meet twice a month in the park in the city centre. Kind regards, Ebony." Damian thought it seemed quite interesting, it also seemed too selective for it to be a truly wholesome group. He was brought back to his surroundings by a knock at the door.

"I'll get it." Ryu said, as he slid off the end of his bed and approached the door. He opened it, and there stood Scarlet and Mary.

"What's up, guys?" he asked.

"We found out there was a common room for us all to chill in!" Scarlet exclaimed excitedly. "Do you want to come?"

Ryu turned to look to the rest of his team.

"Yeah, I'm game." Nathan said as he sat up.

"You guys can go on without me, I'm in the middle of a good bit of my book." Gagana said from her corner.

"Okay." Damian replied, as walked off with the others. A few meters down the hall, Mary asked:

"Is she always like that around you guys?"

"Like what?" Damian asked.

"You know, all cold and shit," Mary replied. "That girl just doesn't seem like she enjoys being in a team at all."

"Well, there could be many reasons for that," Ryu began explaining, "such as the fact she was basically forced into this rag-tag band of people she barely knows. And then you have to take into account that she is the only girl in an otherwise all male team. I can see why she might feel isolated."

"Thanks, nerd," Mary scoffed. Ryu glared at her but she paid no heed.

"It is kinda weird, though," Scarlet said. "Most teams I know are all boys, all girls, or an even mix. I mean, we follow that rule and so do BRRO, URCA and BLDE."

"What about that other team?" Damian asked.

"You mean BLNC? They're three girls and a boy. So they're the opposite you guys, I guess." Scarlet replied.

"There was a boy in that team?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah, his name was Newt something." Scarlet replied.

"You really do a lot of social networking."

"Don't you try to remember all your fellow students?"

"No." Nathan replied, bluntly. Scarlet looked a little hurt.

"Uh, I mean, I remember you guys, 'cause you're so cool…" Nathan said attempting to recover the situation.

"Man, you're almost as smooth as Timmy." Mary said with a sarcastic giggle.

"Who's almost as smooth as me?" Timothy asked, as the group entered the common room.

"It's nothing captain cool." Mary said to him, coldly. Damian looked around the room. It looked very cosy, with a high roof and plenty of sofas and tables, at one of which sat Timothy and Richard. They walked over to the join them. Mary jogged up to Richard, and jumped onto his lap.

"Are you two a _thing_?" Nathan asked.

"Not really. I just noticed we weren't all going to fit around this table, and I'm the smallest, so I thought I'd grab a seat right here."

"Of course..." Nathan replied, still a little confused. He sat down next to Damian and Timothy, while Ryu grabbed the space next to scarlet and Richard.

"What have you guys been up to?" Timothy asked.

"What do you mean?" Damian replied. "We've been in the same classes as you lot all day."

"True, but you might have done something else in the meantime."

"Well I haven't. Sorry to disappoint." Damian looked his team to see if they were going to add anything. Nathan responded with a noncommittal noise, while Ryu blanked him, too busy playing a game on his scroll.

"Anyway," Scarlet said abruptly, "the real reason we invited y'all to join us is because these guys want to talk about a plan to sneak out and slay some Grimm."

"Hey, I was getting there!" Timothy retorted.

"What's this plan, exactly?" Damian asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"That was it." Timothy replied. Everyone stared at him blankly. "Well, okay, the plan was to come up with a plan!" He snapped, turning red.

"Dude. Chill." Mary said coolly, taking charge of the conversation, "Like Timmy said, we want to make a plan to sneak out and kill these Grimm, but-"

"You have no clue how to do it while Lafayette is watching over us." Ryu finished her sentence.

"Yeah, basically."

"We could just beat her in a fight." Ryu suggested.

"Thank you!" Scarlet replied, sounding very relieved by Ryu's words of reason. "If y'all can't even beat her, how will you ever beat any Grimm?" Mary looked a little upset.

"How am I supposed to get that strong without any way of training?"

"Couldn't you just train against us?" Nathan asked.

"Where would we train?"

"Why not just use the training rooms." Ryu suggested.

"Thanks, but the training rooms are booked up for a while now." Mary replied, frustrated.

"Can't we just use this room?" Nathan asked.

"I don't think that's allowed." Scarlet replied.

"Nathan has a point," Ryu said, "as long as we don't trash it too much nobody will notice, right?"

"Was that a compliment?" Nathan asked, wide-eyed. Ryu and the others laughed.

"Even a stopped clock is correct twice a day." Ryu chuckled.

"You know what? I'm not feeling quite so complimented anymore." Nathan replied with fake tears.

"Mary," Damian said, to grab her attention and get things back on track, "do you want us to set up the room?"

Mary attempted to jump up, but smacked her head on Richard's chin. The both of them rolled off the sofa, cursing. She got up, rubbing her head delicately.

"Ouch…Yeah, sure, let's give it a bash."

Richard and Damian began stacking the table, while Nathan and Ryu gathered up all the sofas. As they were finishing off, Gagana walked in.

"What are you guys up to?"

"Preparing this room for a fight." Ryu replied, as he pushed the last sofa into place, leaving a large empty space in the middle of the room. Gagana gasped.

"Why, what happened?"

"Blood feud over the map." Nathan replied. Gagana looked confused.

"Blood? Map? What are you talking about?"

"He's just pulling your leg Gagana." Damian said from across the room.

"Mary wanted to do some training, but all the rooms are booked up." Scarlet added.

"Why not train outside?" Gagana asked.

"That involves walking." Nathan replied. Gagana looked a bit agitated but didn't press any further.

"So, who am I fighting?" Mary asked excitedly. Nathan jumped to his feet.

"That would be me!" He said, grinning widely.

"Oh boy, this will be fun!" Mary replied as she started stretching.

"What are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious," Mary replied, "I'm stretching now so I don't pull a muscle while fighting."

"I guess you'll need to be at your best to fight me." Nathan said, as he pulled out his weapon. "Guess I'll have to stick to hammer mode, not sure how we'd fix all the bullet holes I'd make otherwise."

"Good idea, for once." Gagana called from the side-lines.

The two fighters squared off and Scarlet started a count down.

"Three! Two!"

"What the heck are you kids up to now?" A voice exclaimed from the doorway. Everyone looked over to see Lafayette standing there, with a stern expression on her face. "You were about to have another fight, weren't you?"

"No we weren't!" Nathan replied quickly.

"Oh really? What is happening then? Do tell."

"A… hugging contest." He replied hesitantly.

"Uh-huh." Lafayette nodded. She didn't sound convinced. "Are you lot really that desperate to blow off steam?"

"I just want to train, but the training room is in near constant use by that team BLYD!" Mary shouted through clenched teeth. This took Lafayette surprise, but she recovered quickly.

"Well then, do you want to use my private room instead?"

"What's up with the change in tone?" Ryu asked.

"If you only want to learn, then I don't see a problem. Also, it means I can keep all of you within an arm's reach."

"Fair enough."

"Can we go now?" Mary asked gleefully.

"Sure, why not. Nothing like a little late afternoon training session." Lafayette laughed. With that, they all followed her into her office, near the top of the Academy. When they entered, they were not exactly surprised by how unprofessional it was. There were piles of stuff scattered across the floor, posters littered the walls, and the whole room reeked of booze. They didn't stay long, as Lafayette quickly strutted though to a door at the back, which led to the training room. It was plain and white, much like the one she and Ryu had fought in earlier.

"System commence Protocol Seven." She said, loudly and clearly. Instantly, a dozen combat dummies rose up from the floor. She clapped her hands, and a deck chair appeared beside her.

"Have fun, guys. I'm gonna chill here for a bit."

"Can't you give me a hand to improve?" Mary asked sincerely.

"I don't even know what you fight with," she replied honestly. Then she winked. "Take out a bot or two, and I'll see how I help you improve."

Without another word, Mary whipped out her ball and began spinning it between her palms. It quickly gathered speed and began to whistle. She pulled it back and into her side as it spun faster and got louder. Then she thrust her arms forward, the ball hurtled towards the training dummies. It collided with one, bounced off, and hung in the air.

"Yeah, you definitely need to throw that thing a little faster if you want to dent a Grimm." Lafayette said. She picked up a bottle of beer and took a swig.

"Oh, I'm not done yet." Mary retorted. She swiped through the air with her hands out flat. The ball began to spin wildly, and started to create gashes in the dummy, even though it was not in direct contact. Lafayette lifted an eyebrow, but still didn't seem that impressed.

Mary turned her attention back to the dummy, paused to take a breath, and clapped her hands together. The ball instantly stopped dead in the air, and the three closest dummies leaped forwards and crumpled around it like paper. The ball then fell to the ground with a resounding crash. The other students gave a short round of applause. They hadn't wanted to start training while Mary was still showing off. Lafayette looked pretty impressed this time.

"What exactly did you want my help with, again?" She asked.

"I think I need something to attack me, these dummies are pretty weak."

"Yea maybe you could work on some speed." Lafayette added lazily, "you guys want to help her?"

"Not me!" Nathan and Timothy said in unison.

"That is an extremely effective little ball you've got there. What is it?" Lafayette asked.

"Don't you have files on all of this?" Ryu asked. Lafayette turned to look at him.

"Shut it, nerd! I've got James on my back about that shit, and I don't need a kid who can barely fight his way out of a plastic bag going at me too." Ryu's mouth clamped shut it looked like he was fighting the urge to retaliate.

"Buurrrrn! That was savage!" Nathan laughed aloud.

"Oh Ruaridh left a comment on your file," Lafayette scoffed, "Yea give him a weapon and he'll analyse it in a matter of moments anything else give him a good five years and he might pick up." She cleared her throat.

"Bla Bla Mary. Bla Bla Ball. Bla air pressure, air blades, Bla Bla, totally usless to any other person. Bla." She put her scroll down then flung her arms into the air and let out a groan.

"That guy!" She exclaimed but didn't go into any more detail. Lafayette looked to the other students. "Are you guys going to sit around like a bunch of lumps or are you going to practice?" the students looked to each other and pulled out their weapons.

"I don't think we have enough targets?" Damian said as he looked to the nine remaining dummies.

"What are you on about?" Lafayette asked, "There are only eight of you lot total."

"Well, yes but these things seem to go down pretty quickly, no offence Mary." He added quickly seeing Mary's frown.

"I guess you have a point. System protocol three." Lafayette said aloud to the room. The walls flashed green and the dummies sunk back into the floor and in their place eight much more human looking robots took their place.

"These are Atlesian Knights, don't let them brake you." She said with a grin.

"Don't you mean, don't brake-." Ryu attempted to interject but was quickly cut off.

"I know what I said." Lafayette replied. She peered to her scroll, "I'll be back in a minuet." She said as she got up and left the room.

"Who thinks they can take down theirs the quickest." Ryu asked as he lied down and steadied his gun.

"Do you have to make everything a contest?" Gagana asked as she began stretching.

"Yea people with big guns tend to be like that." Nathan replied as he like the rest of the room prepared for combat.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ryu snapped.

"Oh you know, some of us need to compensate." Nathan replied.

"I'm going to have to ask again, what?" Ryu said this time sounding more genuinely confused.

"Too slow!" Damian said as he let a stream of missiles sore down the range to their target. The missiles hit spot causing a giant explosion.

"Damn it Damian you stole my thunder." Nathan laughed.

"I'd look again." Ryu said, looking down his sight. As the dust began to settle the three of the robots jumped out of the cloud and charged strait towards Damian.

"Fuck fuck fuck!" he shouted as he frantically tried to reload. Two of the robots grabbed Damian and held him stead while the third one began to punch him repeatedly in the gut. Ryu fired of a shot and hit the offending robot in the head leaving a massive debt and causing it to fall back. Nathan on the other hand ran up behind one of the robots holding Damian and batted it away with his hammer. Damian then pried the remaining robot off his arm. The robots quickly recovered and encircled the two boys. Gagana charge forwards and unleashed flurry of dust charged jabs which did very little to stop the robot as it continued to attack Nathan who was doing his best just to block with his hammer. Damian who was left with the other two robots roared at them to no effect as he activated his semblance, even with his ethereal claws and hide he could barely defend himself against the two robots. From across the room Timothy asked.

"Do you think we should help them?" As he and the rest of team STRM stood observing DRGN's efforts.

"Yea they don't seem like they're doing too well." Scarlet replied as she unholstered her guns.

Timothy snapped on his goggles and ran to help DRGN. Once in range he took out his weapon and sprayed Nathan and Damian out of the way with a large gush of water. Mary then flew her ball into the middle of the robots and attempted to crush them but only managed to pull them closer to each other.

"Don't pout Mary, you're doing fine just holding them in place." Scarlet said as she unloaded two whole magazines on the cluster of robots. Then in a fluid motion she ejected her magazine, chucked her pistol into the air clicked her fingers generating a stream of red sparks that darted through the air until they reached the robots. The sparks caused all the bullets to detonate and robots to be knocked to the ground. She then caught her pistol and slammed a new magazine into it.

"That was cool and all, pity it didn't do much." Nathan said as he watched the robots get back to their feet.

"Gosh darn it!" Scarlet shouted in frustration as she stomped her heal.

"I'm back guys." Lafayette said with a more chipper expression them before, "oh I see you having trouble with the robots."

"What are the students even doing here?" A voice asked from behind her.

"They said they wanted somewhere to train and I know old Ironwood wouldn't be too pleased if I'd have just let them use their common room."

"Touché." Gwynn said as he walked into the room.

"What are you on about?" Damian shouted back to the teachers as he sunk his claws into the robot's chest.

"Yea! We've got this under control." Nathan replied as he and Ryu started to make a wall of bullets between themselves and the cluster of robots.

"It's eight verses three." Lafayette said with a cackle.

"I'm sure you'd love those sort of odds." Gwynn said nudging her in the arm.

"True that!" She replied as she took out a fresh bottle of beer for herself and her co-worker.

Damian and Richard started yelling as they charged and punched one of the robot's heads from each side. It crumpled under the force of the two attacks and was left resembling a pancake, the robot then fell limp and lifeless.

"Yahoo one down two to go!" They shouted in excitement.

"You mean seven right?" Lafayette called over.

"Can you muppets hurry up. Holding these things in place is hard work." Mary said, her face red and sweaty.

"Might wana watch out Mary your aura is getting pretty low." Lafayette called over trying to be helpful but just coming across as condescending.

"Timothy," Scarlet said with a serious tone.

"Yes?" He replied. Scarlet put on her sunglasses.

"Put these fools on ice."

Timothy rolled his eyes but did as he was told and drenched the two robots with water then froze them solid.

Marry dropped to the floor. The ice quickly started to tremble and crake.

"Timothy could you douse them with some more water." Gagana asked as her first lit up again, sparks jumping from her finger tips.

"No problem." He said as he continued to spray the robots who had almost broken out of their frozen prison.

"Gagana let me give you a little power up." Scarlet said as she took Gagana's hand and started to flow her own electricity though her. She flinched a little but took and maintain Scarlet's energy as well as her own. With a burst of speed, she darted forwards and punch the robot, discharging all her energy as she did. The robots eyes glowed intensely bright then faded to black as it fell over and stared to let of smoke.

"Now for the grand finale!" Nathan shouted as he charged forwards with Ryu sprinting after him. Nathan swung his hammer with full force and sent its head flying while Ryu jumped into the air and brought his kwan-dao down cutting the robots body in two.

"Oh yea we're finished!" Nathan shouted, flinging his arms into the air.

"What about the other five?" Lafayette asked.

"Nah we're total done, so very done." Ryu replied.

"I guess you students should get some sleep, just because I know you were up late being semi-productive doesn't mean I'll excuse you if you don't show up tomorrow." Gwynn said his face giving a warmer vibe then his words. The students filed out of the room exhausted and sore and returned to their rooms.

"They did pretty well, didn't they?" Gwynn asked Lafayette once all the students had left.

"Yea considering the bots were set to my normal trading level I would agree."

"It seems like we have a pretty promising group of students here." Gwynn said with a smile.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

It was six am and Damian awoke to a burst of pain in his gut, it seemed he had still not recovered from his encounter last night or form the last couple of days if he was perfectly honest. He limped over to the bathroom to grab a drink. As he stepped out he tripped over his boots and hit the floor with a resounding smack. Ryu jumped out of his bed and rolled to grab Zang Jisuh. Nathan tried to get up quickly got caught in his duvet and fell to the floor as well which in turn woke Gagana who scurried under her bed.

"Sorry." Damian mumbled face still in the carpet.

"Gees don't scare us like that." Ryu said propping his weapon against the wall.

"How are you so alert all the time?" Damian asked as he crawled back to his bed.

"I lived quite far north, Grimm attacks we're frequent but the location was beautiful." Nathan finally removed himself from his duvet and said

"Man I could never do that, only Grimm we had to deal with were the occasional deep sea kind, but they tend to avoid humans so no biggy."

"Aren't you supposed to be a huntsman?" Ryu asked

"Yea I'm willing to fight Grimm daily but I'd still prefer a warm and safe bed to get back too." He replied disgustedly.

"Do you guys want to do anything we all seem to be awake?" Gagana asked as she peered over her bed.

"We could." Damian said through his pillow.

"I mean I want to sleep but it may not happen at this point." Nathan added.

"Any Ideas?" Ryu asked as he climbed into his bunk.

"We could just walk around and grab some breakfast." Gagana replied slowly.

"Okay… I mean we could." Damian said, while heaving himself off his bed and stumbling to the shower.

"It's kind of a drag that we only have two showers." Nathan said as he leaned against the bathroom door.

"Well we could us the communal ones in the gym." Ryu said, he then stifled a yawn.

"I guess the watch dog does need sleep." Nathan giggled.

"I'm only human." He replied blankly.

"How does that expression work if you're a faunus, is it I'm faunus? But faunus have different physical limits depending on what type they are." Nathan asked aloud.

"But by that notion you could say different humans have different physical limits, I mean that's what sets the huntsmen apart from the civilians." Ryu replied.

"Isn't that more to do with ability to use aura and semblances?"

"I guess that's a factor." The two boys thought to themselves until Damian returned. When he did he was practically glowing, his hears had perked up, he had a smile on his face and all the sleep seemed to have be washed away.

"Someone is looking better." Nathan said as Damian entered the room. Nathan who was still leaning on the door frame, turned to enter the bathroom but before he could take a step Ryu darted past him and slammed the door in his face.

"How did he…" he shook his head.

"Early Nevermore catches the worm." Ryu replied from the other side of the door.

"Where's Gagana?" Damian asked. Nathan looked around and shrugged.

"Shower maybe?" Nathan replied. Damian took his opportunity and started to change before she returned. Ryu returned soon after and before they knew it they were all ready to go and it was only Half past six.

Walking down the corridors in the early hours was kind of different to walking during the day not because there was no one else around, Atlas Academy didn't have that many students at all, maybe a tenth that the other schools had. It was because all they lights were dimmed and the school wasn't giving off its normal hum of activity. It was just dim and silent so the team were quite surprised to find another group of students in the cafeteria. After they grabbed some food and sat down Ryu peered over to the group of students.

"That's team… BLYD isn't?"

"Possibly." Damian replied.

"Shouldn't our leader have more knowledge of potential enemies?" Nathan asked.

"What do you mean enemies? Wouldn't it be better to make friends?" Damian replied through his toast.

"My sentiments exactly." Gagana said as she finally opened her yogurt.

"Well when it comes to fights and tournaments, everyone can be an enemy" Ryu replied matter-a-factly.

"Nice to know your plotting the end of every student around you." Nathan replied coldly.

"Excuse me are you team DRGN?" a voice quietly asked which caused the team to jump. One of the girls form team BLYD had walked over.

"Oh how rude of me, I didn't mean to startle you. My name is Maya Brass in case you forgot." Her voice was airy and emotionless but somewhat calming.

"Now we didn't forget." Gagana said sweetly.

"I did… sorry about that." Nathan replied bluntly.

"Nathan!"

"I did not lie and I did apologise." He retorted sounding somewhat hurt.

"Well… you're right… I guess." Gagana replied slowly accepting what Nathan had said.

"Anyway." Damian said, regaining control of the conversation, "Hello Maya what's up?"

"I… We were curious to see other teams active at this time in the morning." She said as her team arrived behind her.

"I hate to be the one to say this." Ryu began.

"Then don't." Gagana said interrupting him.

"But you lot seem to have a very odd aura around your selves." Ryu continued ignoring Gagana. Everyone stared back at him blankly.

"I just feel like there is slightly more to team BLYD than meets the eye." He said defensively. Yuki walked out from behind Maya.

"You are very perceptive for one so brash. Yes, I'd say we are a special case but what exactly sets us apart I'll let you decide." He said slowly, his words wrapped in mystery. While he spoke Damian notice that the other girl, Qui Lin, was making hand gestures to the remaining member. Maya picked up on this and explained.

"Damian," She said to gain his attention, "Demir is deaf so Qui is signing the conversion to him."

"Wait so Yuki is blind and Demir is deaf?" Nathan asked trying and failing to be sensitive.

"Maybe I just like wearing a blindfold." Yuki replied defensively. Demir tapped Maya on the shoulder and signed something to her.

"Demir says you are very observant."

"Really?" Nathan asked. Maya looked to Demir and shook her head.

"It's hard to sign sarcasm apparently." She said apologetically.

"Jokes aside you are correct. We all gave up an aspect of our being to increase the potency of our others." Yuki said more seriously.

"Why didn't you give up smell?" Nathan asked deadly serious.

"I'd rather not see then not taste, what is life without food am I right."

"What about life's wonders views?" Ryu said

"Or wonders babes." Nathan added. Gagana slapped him over the back of his head.

"It's a lot easier to describe something you can see to someone then something you taste. So the others can fill in my blanks." Yuki replied honestly.

"Well what about, Qui and Maya?" Nathan continued.

"Nathan! Stop digging into people's lives." Gagana snapped.

"No its fine." Maya said softly, "Qui has the inability to speak and I have the inability to act."

"Like putting on a show?" Nathan asked clearly confused.

"To act violently or defensively." She replied

"Doesn't that seem like a giant oversight for a huntress?" Damian asked now looking as confused as Nathan.

"Well we all have our drawbacks but we can regain our lost features in a powerful form with the use of our semblances. I can act if the evil cannot be reasoned with, Yuki can see were evil hides, Demir can hear what the evil is thinking and Qui can quell evil with her words." All of DRGN looked on awestruck.

"Well that is something isn't it?" Ryu said trying to hide his excitement behind a smug smile. Yuki looked towards Maya.

"Good thing we aren't part of a secret organisation or something with your loose lips around."

"I like think that sharing is caring." Maya retorted then a bleeping noise came from her pocket.

"Oh that must be training time see you guys else were." She waved as she and the rest of team BLYD walked off.

"Well that was pretty interesting now wasn't it?" Damian said stretching his arms.

"I feel like we keep meeting strong students." Ryu said with an almost glum look on his face.

"Birds of a feather flock together." Nathan said energetically.

"Would that imply you are also strong?" Ryu sneered.

"What are you implying?" Nathan said brushing off Ryu's comment. Damian felt his scroll vibrate.

"It would seem we have an announcement from Ironwood." He got looks of mild interest so he opened it and read it aloud.

"Dear captains of the first year teams I am sending you this announcement to inform you that there will be a chance for you to prove you're standing in your team, year or even the school itself. With support from our backers, the Schnee Dust Company and the Gold Mining Corporation, we shall be holding tournament this weekend for the people of atlas; students, huntsmen and even civilians who are considering entering the Atlesian military to show off their full potential. Click here for rules and regulations."

"Sounds interesting what does it entail." Ryu asked eyes Lit up.

"It's called The Robo-Dome," Nathan burst out laughing.

"What a stupid name."

"Anyway name a side, it is apparently a single fighter tournament where the fighters will fight waves of robots, whoever can beat the most will be considered the winner. Fighters will compete in brackets so first years aren't being compared to fully fledged huntsmen."

"I mean I do like prizes." Nathan said once his laughter had subsided.

"Sounds like a good way to prove who is the best around here." Ryu said slyly. Gagana glared at him to make him remember what happened that last time he went around picking fights.

"Morning y'all!" A voice called from cafeterias entrance. Scarlet ran up to Damian, eyes burning with excitement.

"Did you get the news?" She asked practically bouncing on the spot. Damian pushed her back,

"Yes we just got it a minute ago, you seem vibrant, even by your normal standards." He replied.

"Hitting the pills a little hard?" Nathan laughed.

"Yea just a little." She replied. Mary walked over beside Scarlet and inserted a piece of toast into Scarlet's mouth.

"Captain Sunshine has been like this for the last… Six hours." Mary said, she seemed very colourless.

"What exactly happened?" Gagana asked concerned.

"Let's just say it was a mix up, and now we are all a bit sleep deprived because of this one."

"Wait here guys," Gagana said before she ran off. Damian squinted at her but she didn't elaborate, he shook his head and returned his attention to Scarlet and Mary. Both had sat down across from Nathan and Ryu and Mary was providing a steam of toast to the ravenous Scarlet. Damian placed a hand on Mary's tiny shoulder.

"You're quite the little trooper aren't you?" She looked up to him, still absent mindedness shoving toast in Scarlet's mouth.

"Well I have to be… I need to make a name for myself." She said gloomy.

"It seems like all of STRM are having a tough time." Nathan said looking and anywhere but the two girls.

"Want to talk about it?" Ryu asked causing Damian and Nathan to double take. He waved them off and waited for Mary or Scarlet to answer.

"Know Schnee?" Mary said gloomily.

"I'm pretty sure everyone in Remnant knows of them." Ryu replied.

"Well I got a message from daddy last night saying that they are taking over our company and removing him from his position of chairman." She said them smothered her face into her arms. Scarlet put her arms around her, she had lost the excitement in her eyes but was still smiling. Gagana returned with several cups of steaming tea. Timothy and Richard followed shortly after.

"This should freshen you up." She said trying to stay composed. Damian walked over to the two guys and whispered to them.

"What's up with Scarlet guys?"

"She had a nightmare thing, but it was like super crazy she looked possessed or something. Richard had to hold her down so she didn't hurt anyone. Mary told me to grab some medicine form Scarlet's bag but apparently I gave her the wrong one. So instead of calming her down I gave her a buzz. Which didn't help at all." Timothy blurted out. Richard slapped him on the back.

"Tim cool it!" Timothy fell to the floor.

"Fuck! Sorry! Fuck! I'm just on edge like everyone else." He said as he picked up his teammate. Timothy regained his composure and brushed himself off.

"Damian, I'm not sure if Scarlet would probably be cool with you know it but let's just say while she was fighting, whatever it was in her dream. She cried out a lot. We learnt a lot of things. I'll just say give her some space and pretend like nothing's different." Timothy said emotion void from his words.

"Got it." Damian replied without thinking. The three boys walked over to the table. No sooner had Damian sat down when he heard hurried footsteps approaching them. He saw Rylee dragging Ramona along at top speed. Brett and Oscar where only just entering the doorway. Damian and Nathan tried to silently motion for her to stop. She did and pulled out her scroll, pointed to it and trotted back to the rest of her team.

Damian thought that no amount of new people would improve the situation. It was now silent at the table, everyone seemed to reach the conclusion that some quiet time would be needed for the two girls.

A bell sounded which announced the start of classes for the day. The students got up and plodded along to class.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

The First class of the day was with Dr Emrys in lab room, instead of a normal lecture style room.

"Good morning class nice to see you all made it here, some in better shape than others." Gwynn said with a raised eyebrow towards team STRM who were practically falling asleep at their table.

"Anyway today I'd like to carry out some simple experiments for our first class together. I don't mean to insult your intelligence or your previous place of study, what do you know about dust?" Gagana was the first to raise her hand.

"It is a substance used in almost all of our modern technology, ether as a power source in our transport or homes or as an offensive force in our weapons."

"You my dear are spot on," Gwynn replied enthusiastically, "Does anyone else want to add anything."

"Dust can only be used by beings possessing a soul," Ramona said from the back of the class.

"Also correct, come on boys don't let these girls… leave you in the dust." Gwynn chuckled to himself, he was treated to a chorus of groans form his students.

"Yes as Miss Teal said, dust can only be used by beings possessing a soul," he walked over to team STRM, "Humans, faunus, animals and maybe even plants though no one has put much research into that one. Simply if it lives it can use dust." He placed a crystal against Mary's head as she was sleeping on the table. The moment it touched her it started to glow faintly.

"Thank you Miss Gold for being an excellent addition to the class." Mary jolted awake the crystal glowed intensely bright and then exploded waking up all of team STRM, who were starting to doze off, and caused Mary to fall off her chair.

"I'm sorry Miss, I didn't know that would wake you up." Gwynn said sounding pretty sincere. Mary brushed herself off and sat down.

"Sorry Sir." She replied quietly.

"None of you really look fit for any practical experimentation so how about you head back to your dorm and meet me back here after last period so we can get you caught up." All the members nodded and filed out.

"Anyone know what was up with that lot." Gwynn asked to which the class shook their heads.

"Okay let's start the experiment. I'm going to assume everyone here can use their semblance." There was a murmur and a general nodding of heads following this.

"Good good now who has tried to combine dust into their semblance." This time no one replied.

"That's fine I don't really expect anyone to have started practicing anything like that." Rylee raised her hand.

"What is it Miss T… oh right twins, what is it Rylee?"

"Sir I just wanted to tell you that dust related things are kind of team STRM's specialty.

"Is that true, well I'll make sure to test them extensively latter." Gwynn replied. He grabbed his staff and walked to the front of the class. "First I shall show you my semblance without dust then with dust and I shall try and explain the difference in preforming both." He turned to face a blank wall, clenched his fist then shot out a blast of kinetic energy. It left a small ring burn on the wall.

"Now with dust." He said and pulled out a red crystal form his coat. He repeated the same steps as last time but this time when he launched his energy wave it glowed cherry red and let out a tremendous amount of heat. Upon impact with the wall it generated a massive explosion, witch Nathan and Ryu had to dive from to avoid.

"As you can see, there is a huge difference with the only down sides being it is a bit harder to control and your dust gets consumed. Now do we have any volunteers?" Damian looked around and saw that no one else wanted to get up so he stood up."

"Ah Mr Carmine this should be interesting. Well walk over here." Damian walked up to the front of the room and stood there a little awkwardly.

"Damian do you think you could show us your normal semblance?" Gwynn asked as he gathered up some dust crystals on his desk.

"I mean it's not that-." Damian began. When Gwynn hit him over the head causing him to bite his tongue.

"I read your file I know that you need to be injured, which is something you really should try to get over as an activation form, what if you encounter an enemy trained in psychologic attacks." Damian ignored his teacher's words and let out a feeble roar. Like on previous occasions he a red aura grew around him expanding into the same of a bear.

"Good good." Gwynn said as he taped Damian on his shoulder and deactivated his semblance. Damian looked shocked and slowly turned to Gwynn.

"How did you do that?" he asked.

"People versed enough in aura control can do many tricks like that, boosting ally's auras, draining your enemy's aura and even bypass your normal aura limits."

"Why aren't we learning about that?" Ryu asked.

"Mr Lu don't be sour just because it would seem your semblance has no real use for dust integration because it probably can, in some way or another. Also were not doing that as it is a lot harder, we normally only start training you in it in your third year and some people never fully pick it up." Gwynn replied bluntly. He then passed Damian a yellow crystal.

"Know what element this is?" he asked

"Lighting." Damian guessed.

"Well focused on that element and it should be easier to manifest." Gwynn said as he took a couple paces back. Damian adjusted his footing then let out a roar. Instantly he knew it was different as his roar toppled the table in front of him. He felt a fuzzy, tingly sensation all over his body. As his bear form manifested it was showing signs of improvement as well. This time it was a deep blue and all its fur was on edge.

"This is pretty cool." Damian said as he took a few steps

"Just keep up the concentration." Gwynn said calmly.

"Keep up what? I can barely hear you over this buzzing sound." Damian said loudly

"I said concentrate!" Gwynn replied louder.

"What… AHHHHHHHH!" Damian screamed as electricity darted inwards and started to shock him. Gwynn leapt to Damian and drained the energy out of him like a grounding rod. Damian fell down and landed on his butt. His team rushed over.

"You ok mate?" Nathan asked.

"Yea I'm fine… just a little light headed." He replied

"A little shocked." Ryu asked as he offered a hand.

"Yea just a… you piece of shit." Damian replied with a laugh. The rest of the class joined in now that it was apparent that he was okay.

"Okay Mr carmine that was a wonderful demonstration would you like to return to your seat." Gwynn asked. Damian, Ryu and Gagana returned to their seats.

"Mr Glas," Gwynn said to Nathan, "I assume you would like to practice next."

"You know it he replied!"

"Okay let's see you in action then." Nathan took a breath then then slammed his fists together. His skin and hair rapidly faded to grey. He looked up slowly. Gwynn launched a projectile at Nathan and it didn't even leave a mark.

"So this is your ultimate defence?" Gwynn asked.

"Yes" Nathan replied very slowly.

"And this would be its down side?" Gwynn asked? Nathan nodded slowly.

"Can he even attack like that?" Brett asked to which Nathan motioned him to get closer. Brett walked until he was within arm's length of Nathan. Ever so slowly Nathan pulled back a punch and lunged at Brett. Brett sat their laugh for a good couple of seconds before Nathans fist made contact with his face and sent him flying across the room. Brett bounced off the wall like a rubber ball and tucked into a ball and rolled back to the front of the class.

"Mr Tawny what a good excuse to show off your semblance as well." Gwynn said with a clap.

"What was that?" Ryu asked.

"I can store and let out energy from impacts so bumps, crashes and falls aren't really a problem for me." Brett replied. Even Ryu couldn't deny that that was pretty cool.

Gwynn placed his hands on the two students shoulders dispersed their energies and handed them some crystals. A blue one to Brett and a red one and a purple one to Nathan.

"Normally id ask a student to preform single dust control but in your case, the worst that can happen is that your semblance will protect you until the effects run out. Also this will be really cool." Gwynn said giddily. Nathan shrugged. With a crystal in each hand he slammed his fists together. This time his features turned obsidian black and his eyes glowed red.

"Give it some umff." Gwynn said encouragingly. Nathan nodded then flung out his arms and expanded his chest. Cracks stared to show in his armoured skin and form these cracks erupted bright flames.

"Holy hell he's fucking volcano." Brett screamed.

"Control yourself and try to use some dust." Gwynn said reassuringly.

"Okay." Brett said as he gripped onto is crystal and a light blue ward formed around him.

"Now get a little rough." Gwynn said with a laugh. Brett launched a few timid jabs at Nathan at first who was still moving quite slowly, quicker than before, but still quite slow. Every time Nathan and Brett made contact a little cloud of steam would form blasting them apart. Nathan was getting frustrated that he couldn't land a single blow and on the extremely fluid Brett, so he lifted his arms high and slammed his locked fists into the floor creating a shockwave of fire and jagged shards. Brett and everyone in the room for had to duck for cover as the room was almost consumed.

"Stop!" Gwynn shouted as he produced his own wave of frosty cold air to extinguish it fire. He then jabbed the two students and disabled their auras.

"What part of a little don't you understand?" Gwynn said angrily. He sighed as Nathan looked at the damage he had caused.

"Good work." Gwynn said now a lot more light heartedly, "You two did a good job and I did egg you on." Gwynn peered to his watch.

"Look at the time. If I let you guys go ten minutes early you won't tell Ironwood I let you blow up the classroom will you." There was a collective no from the student as they laughed and gathered up their bags.

"Now how do I fix all this, sometimes I wish I had a sectary as good as his." He said aloud and to no one in particular. The students then filed out and headed off to grab some lunch.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-one**

The eight students entered the cafeteria and departed to get their food. Today there seemed to be a buzz in the air, the whole place seemed livelier. After grabbing some food, today's special was burgers, the team sat down at what was quickly becoming a regular spot. Damian decided to send a message to Scarlet to if they were okay. After he sent it he looked up from his scroll and something caught his eye. It was Maya and her team, probably wolfing down a set meal before they head of for more practice he thought to himself.

"Man I wonder how BLYD do that," he said. He got some perplexed looks so he elaborated, "How they train all the time, like I'm fairly active, I'd almost say above average but those guys are something else."

"Well in the grand scheme of things if an extra day in the training room can be the difference between life and death I'd take as many as I could too." Ryu said plainly.

"So you don't believe that?" Nathan asked.

"No not really, training helps but some people just have limits and one day we all end up hitting those limits." He replied with equal emotion.

"You always seemed like someone who'd want to brake limits." Nathan said thoughtfully.

"I got that impression of you too." Gagana added.

"Oh no." Ryu said aloud.

"What's up?" Damian asked.

"3…2…1…" Ryu said slowly. There was then a Splat followed by a scream.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The majority of the room turned to see a once blank and white girl now covered in red ketchup. It was Bianca Lenoir, leader of team BLNK. It seemed that Yuki had gotten up just as she was walking by, bumped into her and made her spill her pot of ketchup all over herself.

"Sorry about that." He chuckle

"Look what you've done!" She screamed, "My new coat ruined."

"I duno it looks fine to me." He said still in his upbeat manor. Something clearly clicked in Bianca as her face turned almost as red as the ketchup.

"Your mocking me now you blind buffoon aren't you!"

"Look it wasn't intentional, calm yourself." Yuki said, showing signs that he had lost any amusement he was gaining by playing dumb.

"Do you even know who I am?" Bianca shouted in his face.

"I'm blind not deaf you dumb bitch!" Yuki snapped. Bianca slapped him across the face and the sound echoed around the room. "You faunus are all so uppity, some is going to have to put you in your place."

"I'll admit that kinda hurt, Miss Bianca Lenoir, heiress to the Lenoir Combatant Apparel Retailer. Yes I know exactly who you are and how you run your shit show of a slave trade!"

"Such slander." She retorted and slapped him again. "You shouldn't spread false allegations like that."

"Look girl! Even a divine being will lose its cool if hit three times!" Yuki threaten, bearing his fangs.

"Down mongrel." She said slowly and carefully. Then she stamped on his food, kneed him in the jaw then kicked him in the stomach and sent him through the table knocking everything aside.

"Bianca don't you think that was a little over kill." Lyssa said showing no hint of tone. Yuki crawled to is feet. And instant later his swords were drawn and at Bianca's neck. The next moment he reappeared in his starting point and a large axe sat embedded in the ground where he had just stood.

"Who said you could attack the King?" A girl in a short red dress said, with a psychotic look on her face.

"Crimson I my fight is not with you, butt out!"

"You can't just attack my King like that and expect me her Queen to not get involved." She replied with a voice far too sweet or the words she was saying.

"You give me no choice." Yuki spun his swords in his hands and then merged them into a single blade almost long has he was tall. He lashed out at the two girls. Crimson leapt forward to defend Bianca. Crimson tried to attack Yuki but he simple had too much range. She jumped back, transformed her battle axe into a LMG and began to bring down a wall of fire on Yuki. Yuki darted around trying and failing to get as little other people involved as possible. Most of the students had already left but some, ether to hungry or to indifferent to move were now getting caught in the fire as well. Finally, Yuki jumped to the wall, and started to run back along it to Crimson. He dropped down on her kicked her in the face and butted her into the centre of the room with the flat of his sword.

"Bianca now that your pawn-,"

"Queen!" Crimson yelled from where she lay on the floor.

"Pawn is out the way let's start the real fight unless you want to throw any more meat shields at me." He said looking at Lyssa and Newt.

"No thanks." Lyssa said while Newt cowered behind her.

"Crimson attacked you of her own accord I had nothing to do with it."

"Of course." Yuki said readying his blade. Bianca grabbed her bracelet and it uncoiled into a whip and lashed it at Yuki's feat. Yuki jumped back and grabbed a handful of dusts and spread it across his blade with a swipe of his fingers. He blade stated to vibrate and glow red. He slashed at Bianca and sent forth a wave of red energy that cut into the wall and narrowly missed Bianca. He slashed again this time horizontal. Bianca jumped and narrowly avoided it again. Yuki fallowed that up with a cross slash then a thrust. Bianca jumped high into the sky and cracked her whip onto Yuki's head sending him to the floor. Yuki got onto his knee and started to get back up but Bianca stomped his face into the ground with her heel. There was then a cry of pain. And a then a scream.

"Ebony no!" A voice cried out. A moment later Bianca found herself lifted off the ground by a powerful hand that was now crushing her windpipe. The hands owner was broad black and matted faunus boy in a leather trench coat.

"What is wrong with you? He was clearly beaten and yet you stomped him into the ground! Maybe I should do the same to you!" He then lodged Bianca's face into the floor to join Yuki's.

"Damn it Ebony I told you not to get involved." A small brightly coloured boy yelled at him.

"Yea seriously Ebony, Folly's got a point now we look like bad guys, we can't go beating up first years like that." A green haired girl with glasses said exasperatedly.

"Holy cow what happen here?" A familiarly accented voice said from the entrance. Team STRM had recovered quickly enough to witness the end remains of the fight. Maya walked over to the team surrounding the two bodies.

"I'll take my teammate if you don't mind." She said as she flung Yuki over her shoulders.

Lyssa walked over as well and patted Ebony on the shoulder.

"Thank you." She said as she picked up Bianca, "Newt come get Crimson will you."

"Yes mam." He said with a quick salute.

"Why would you thank him?" Folly the brightly coloured boy asked. Lyssa sighed. "She's got an ego big enough that it effects the tides, someone has to knock her down a few pegs every once in a while.

"What a strange team you lot are." The girl with the glasses said as Lyssa walked off.

Scarlet and her team walked over to meet DRGN as they started to prop some chairs back up.

"Why are you cleaning up?" Timothy asked.

"Knowing our dumb luck well be somehow blamed so might as well start." Damian said, with defeated look on his face as he looked at all the twisted metal and shattered plastic. DRGN weren't the only team cleaning up, Team BRRO and the group of second years were also helping by sweeping all the scraps into a pile. Before long Ironwood showed up with the Gwynn and Lafayette in tow. He looked like he wanted to shout but as he noticed all the students cleaning up he let out a reluctant smile.

"You students should really leave the cleaning to the professionals." He said awkwardly, clearly fighting internally.

"Aww why thank you." Nathan said handing him a brush. He sighed and with a couple prompts on his scroll a legion of robots flooded into the cafeteria and started to gather all the broken plastic and splintered wood. He walked over to the second year team.

"So Folly what happened."

"Well you see Sir, there was an incident." The brightly dressed boy responded.

"Care to elaborate?" Ironwood asked plainly. The green haired girl in the glasses spoke up.

"It seems that a student from one of the teams bumped into another student and split some fluid all over her. Naturally for such a thing to happen in public mortified the girl causing her to speak out against her situation. Some racial slurs and fallacies where frown around until the girl resorted to physically abuse, five times I might add. Then the fight escalated from there to the point where Ebony felt he had to intervene."

"Myrtle excellent analysis as always. You'll make a great specialist one day." Ironwood said with a rare amount of affection. He then turned to Ebony, "You didn't go over board did you?" He asked hesitantly.

"No Sir, I only did what was necessary to end the violence defacing our cafeteria."

"Well I'm sure your heart was in the right place but the hole in the ground says otherwise." Ironwood said. He then turned to Damian.

"Why do you always seemed to be attached to every event in this school?"

"Wow thank you for your unfounded accusation." Damian snapped. There was an awkward pause.

"No we were not involved it was Yuki of BLYD and Bianca of BLNK." Damian added clearly hurt by Ironwoods words.

"I… I'm sorry, you're right that was uncalled for." Ironwood replied, "thank you for your efforts."

"I accept your apology and your thanks." Damian said with a smile.

"Can you do one thing for me?" Ironwood asked.

"Yea sure, what?" He replied.

"Round up your peers and head off to class, leave this to me."

"Can do." Damian replied as he put down his brush and left to gather the others.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-two**

Latter Damian and his team along with URCA and the majority of BLYD, found themselves in an empty class room waiting for Ms Sherwood to show up. It had already been ten minutes when the students started to wonder what had happened.

Do any of you guys know anything about this teacher?" Damian asked hoping to remove the silence.

"You mean Miss Sherwood?", Ulrik replied.

"Yea she over saw our entrance exam but that's about all we know about her." Ross added. Maya decided to tune into the conversation.

"Miss Marian Sherwood is a faunus rights campaigner, X white fang member, history teacher and historian. She was personally assigned here by Ironwood like most of the staff here." The other two teams turned to Maya bewildered.

"Where did you learn all that?" Damian asked.

"While we were training the other day she came to talk to Yuki and I decided it would be a good time to get to know her." Maya replied blankly. Suddenly the sound of fast paced footsteps echoed from the hallway. Miss Sherwood stormed into the classroom holding a pile of folders. She didn't look as composed as Damian remembered her looking from the introduction night.

"I'm very sorry," she said sounding a little faint, "I had to see how bad Mr Yuki Inari's condition was."

"He'll be fine, he looked pretty tough." Nathan said flippantly. Marian dropped her things on her desk.

"That is irrelevant Mr…" She peered to her folder quickly.

"It's Nathan, Nathan Glas." Nathan said lazily.

"Okay, well the point is more we shouldn't have our students fighting in the first place no matter how tough they seem."

"Well it's not like where in a combat school." Nathan said sarcastically. Damian narrowed his eyes on Nathan and whispered hastily.

"What is your problem?" Nathan returned a blank stare to him and didn't reply.

"Yes we are here to fight Grimm though." Marian snapped but then quickly changed tone, "I am here to teach you, using humanity's mistakes as an example. Why we should protect each other instead of fighting amongst ourselves. Now I don't normally speak my opinions, I trend just to tell history as it was but in this one belief I must share with you. Humanity almost wiped out in a war created and fuelled by its own sins. What stopped the Great War? Some would say it's because one side, with truer, purer views defeated the other. A more realistic interpretation would be that the war had to end because all the negative emotions emitted by the grieving families, the injured fighters and the lost children had caused the Grimm to expand their territory at an alarming rate. The broken and beaten kingdoms with their numbers thoroughly diminished had to put aside their differences and unite for against a common goal. You see Grimm are a force of nature that we must always deal with, there is no escaping that."

"But what if we kill all the Grimm?" Ulrik barked defiantly.

"I very much doubt a day like that will ever come, as even if you destroy all of the Grimm, humanity will fall into its old traps of ignorance and self-indulgence, creating new Grimm to take their place." Marian replied.

"That sounds like something a pessimist would say!" Nathan shouted.

"Well I mean I didn't say I wasn't a pessimist but I would probably go more towards realist." Marian replied.

"I believe the human spirit can conquer anything." Nathan retorted.

"Thank you for the insight on your personal views but I think we've gotten a little off track." Marian pulled out a book from her folder.

"I tend to find starting from the beginning of properly recorded data to be the best place to start." She flicked on a projector showing a red line labelled past on one end and present on the other.

"Now our start point will be the end of the Great War as much of the data from before this period is difficult or impossible find in complete sets." Gagana raised her hand.

"Yes?" Marian said when it caught her attention.

"Doesn't this mean we are only looking at the last eighty years of history?" Gagana asked sheepishly.

"For now yes." Marian replied disheartened, "As I said I pride myself on spreading the truth but if nobody knows what that is then we'll have to wait until I find it." There was then a knock at the door. It then opened and Yuki Inari walked in.

"Excuse my lateness." He said with a short bow.

"What are you doing out of bed your injured." Demir and Maya let out a short laugh.

"If you think that Yuki is going to sit in a bed licking his wounds you've got another thing coming." Maya said in an uncharacteristic tone. Marian sighed.

"You young people are all like this. Fine if you think your fine then take a seat." Yuki walked over to his desk and immediately rested his head in his crossed arms. Marina ignored this obvious show of indifference and began to talk again. Damian was trying to pay attention but a scuffling sound from team URCA, behind him grabbed his attention. Cheshire had a rubber band and small ball and had them aimed towards the front of the class and it seemed Amber was trying to stop her. After a quick back and forth Amber was pushed aside and Cheshire took her shot. Damian watched as the ball sored through the air straight for the back of Yuki's head. Although it seemed like he was asleep at this point the moment before the ball hit him he whipped round and caught the ball between his incisors then spat it back and hit Cheshire square in the forehead. She let out a startled squeak, fell back and banged her head then fell to the floor.

"Miss Purupura stop messing about back there." Marian said the returned to her recounting of the post war economy.

Damian nudged Nathan and whispered.

"Did you see that?"

"See what?" Nathan replied, awakening from his stupor. Ryu drew his attention away from his notes,

"You mean Yuki backfiring Cheshire's attempted tomfoolery, I did."

"His reactions are just crazy fast. How did he even see it coming?" Damian asked.

"I don't think he sees the same way we do, probably closer to a bat, you know sonar." Ryu replied. Damian looked back to Yuki. He noticed after a while that his ears twitched from side to side in a similar way to how he would look around, but that still doesn't explain how he saw behind him, Damian thought.

"If he's so good how come he got the shit kicked out of him earlier?" Nathan asked now showing signs that he was actually awake. Damian tried to think of a reason but nothing came to mind.

"Maybe he doesn't like to hit girls." He said eventually.

"I doubt that." Ryu said

"What a kinky bastard." Nathan said. His teammates looked at him frowned then what he meant dawned on them.

"Just because he does not like to hit girls doesn't then mean he does like to hit girls." Ryu said trying to suppress a laugh with a cough.

"Yea you can't just jump to those conclusions, maybe he likes hitting boys." Damian added. Nathan had to slap his hand over his mouth to stop himself laughing and Ryu looked like he bit his tongue and his eyes stated to water which causes Nathan to start losing his shit and start cry too. Gagana turned round and slapped Nathan to the floor.

"Nathan are you disturbing the peace again." Marian snapped. Nathan crawled to his feet and whipped his eyes.

"Not currently. sorry." He said then took his seat. With no sign of anymore distractions Marian returned to her lecturing.

Nathan peered of into space then said.

"I don't see how people could be into that."

"Are you seriously continuing this after you just died of laughter?" Damian asked.

"I was just curious to see your views on this subject." He replied.

"I'd say I'm a vanilla person." Ryu said absentmindedly as he jotted down some notes.

"Why do I doubt an antisocial prick like you has had many scoops to try."

"Did you just drag ice cream into your stupid kink discussion." Damian said defensively.

"I can't imagine you as being much of a top but your also too big to be a bottom." Nathan said continuing his absentminded tone.

"Do I want to know what that means." Gagana said with a glare.

"Sorry Ga, just having a bro talk so… You know men ears only."

"To bad I only see an immature kid." Gagana replied before returning to her work. Nathan turned to Damian.

"So what would it be then?"

"You are very bored aren't you?" Damian asked, to which Nathan nodded.

"I don't know I guess I'd want a girl who wants to be hugged and kissed not wanting to hit me or be hit." Damian replied turning a little red. Nathan punched him on the shoulder.

"Yours big ol' softy ain't ya? Okay if you had to pick a girl who would it be?" Nathan asked.

"What?" Damian replied.

"You know as a girlfriend." Damian thought to himself but he really didn't put much effort.

"What about me?" Cheshire said. The two boys jumped as Cheshire had appeared right between them.

"Cheshire! You scared the literal crap out of me!" Nathan whispered aggressively.

"Oh I hope not. I wouldn't want to date a poopy boy." She said as she phased into the air. The boys looked back to her desk where she gave them a little wave. Nathan whispered hurriedly to Damian.

"How the fuck did she do that?"

"Semblance I guess." Damian replied. Secretly glad that the conversation had been thrown off. No sooner had the two recovered themselves when Marian announced that the class was over for the day but that they would have a report to write up. With a sigh of relief, the whole class graves their things and left for their dorms.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-three**

Once back in his room Damian flung off his blazer and changed into his casual cloths. When he returned form the bathroom Gagana was at her desk typing away, presumably on her report. Nathan was sprawled out on this bed also writing. Probably not a report though, he thought to himself. Lastly Ryu had decided to take up the entirety of the floor space by disassembling his weapon.

"Ryu what are you doing?" He asked.

"Just cleaning out Zang Jisuh, a clean gun is a happy gun." He added cheerful. Ryu's unusual tone threw him off so he turned to his bed. Damian decided to see if any of the other teams were up to anything interesting, the captains had special access to contact each other supposedly for emergencies but he decided he might as well try it out. First he started to write a message to Scarlet then remembered that she would still be in Gwynn's class. Next he set a message to Brett but got no reply. Well that's the main guys ruled out, he thought to himself. After a while he thought about contacting Ulrik but decided against it as he didn't know him that well, which in turn meant Maya was also not really an option for the same reasons. Lastly that left Bianca, who he had no real desire to talk to after lunchtimes incident. He rolled over and looked around his dorm. It was very nice with its sleek grey walls and its silver highlights but it didn't feel very much like a home yet. He wondered. Suddenly his stomach let out a huge groan.

"Getting a bit hungry are we?" Nathan asked still tapping away.

"You could say that." Damian replied, "Anyone want to join me in the cafeteria?" He asked.

"Can't." Ryu replied bluntly.

"Why's that?" Damian asked.

"It's closed till tomorrow for maintenance." He replied not looking away from his pile of plates and bolts.

"How are we going to eat then?" Nathan asked now sat up and giving his full attention.

"I guess we'll have to go and get some food." Gagana replied, finally drawn away from her work.

"Are we allowed to leave the campus?" Nathan asked.

"I mean I don't think there is a rule saying students can't leave during free time." Damian said.

"No you misunderstand, can WE leave." Nathan said again with more enthuses.

"Good point, were basically under house arrest." Ryu said clipping the last parts of his weapon together.

"I'll ask Ironwood I guess." Damian said taking out his scroll. He scrolled through his short list of contacts and found the headmaster.

"Hello Mr Ironwood do you have a moment." Damian asked trying to be as polite as possible.

"Damian why are you called me, is something wrong?... Did you brake something." Ironwood said, his implications were as unjustified as ever.

"No we, I was just calling to ask if it's okay if we leave the academy grounds to get some food as the cafeteria is out of order." Damian said earnestly. A slow groan emitted from the speaker.

"Yes it's fine, you can leave whenever you don't have a prescribed duty. In future unless you have an actual problem please do not phone me." Ironwood replied then hung up.

"Well that's that then, let's grab some food." Damian said as he grabbed his boots.

A couple minutes' latter the team was walking down the corridor down to the main gate where they were confronted by Lafayette.

"Where do ya think you lot are going?" She asked.

"Oh fuck I forgot about her." Nathan said quietly to the rest.

"Play it cool." Damian whispered back. "We're just off to grab some food." He said to Lafayette. She looked unconvinced.

"How do I know you're not off on some suicide mission to hunt some Grimm?" She asked.

"Well you got us there." Ryu said sarcastically. Nathan punched him in the arm.

"You're not helping." He then turned to Lafayette

"Well why don't you follow us then."

"Maybe I will." She replied

"Well maybe we're already gone." Damian said as he jumped on all fours and sped off. DRGN barely got five feet before Lafayette outrun them. The team stopped.

"Okay well go peaceful. Damian said reluctantly.

"Smart idea." Lafayette replied.

Once outside the academy's gates they headed into the shopping district. They had to take a hover tram so Lafayette led the way.

"Hover trams are great when you know how to use them." She said as she held a rail and looked down to her students, "the city is split into colour coded sections; blue is living, red is business, yellow is retail, green is industrial, Pink is healthcare, grey is military and white is education. So we've taking white onto the ring track then onto yellow."

"What colour is the ring track?" Ryu asked fanning interest.

"Black." She replied, "We're on it now actually."

The train made a little beep sound as it entered the main ring. Lafayette clicked a button and the roof of the tram turned yellow and a mechanical voice said

"Departing ring route for Retail district, I hope you have a nice time."

"Does it do that every time." Damian asked

"It says different things depending on where you're going." She replied.

"Well this is definitely a fast way of getting around the city, sure beats walking." Damian said.

"You walked from the train station to the academy?" Gagana asked.

"Well no I got a lift." He replied.

"You got friends in the city?" Nathan asked

"No," Damian said laughing to himself, he forgot he hadn't told anyone about this train ride yet. "I got a lift from a nice police officer" he said. There was then a ding sound as the tram doors opened and the voice said

"You have now arrived at your destination, please be careful while you depart."

"Are you sure you didn't just end up in prison?" Nathan asked jokingly.

"I was in holding." He replied causing the others to stop.

"You what?" Ryu said eyebrow raised.

"I don't think I can work with an x-con." Nathan said

"Man what did you do." Lafayette asked.

"Oh you know just got into a fight on a train no big deal." He said trying to play it off.

"We never did find that suspect." A voice said from behind him causing him to jump. He turned to see Sargent Azure Marine.

"Evening Sargent." He said with a little salute.

"Put it away," she said, "I'm off duty." She definitely didn't look on duty, instead of her blue and grey uniform she was wearing a black and purple jacket with a shorts and strapped top. She looked to the other three students then to Lafayette. Realisation hit her, her mouth fell open and she dropped her cigarette.

"Babe you're here!" She said as she leapt onto Lafayette and gave her a hug. She then turned to the three students.

"Now children here's a quick rule never trust a scoundrel like this with money, you will never see it again." She said with a cackle.

"Ignore the crazy bureaucrat I know not of what she speaks." Lafayette said trying hard not to look at Azure.

"You are very different off the cloak." Damian said bluntly.

"What is that supposed to mean." She said sounding hurt, "Just because I have to have a stick up my ass at work doesn't mean I can't have fun in my free time."

"I'm pretty sure you like a sick up your ass in your free time too." Lafayette mumbled then immediately got silenced by Azure.

"How do you two know each other?" Gagana asked in an attempt to move the conversation.

"I busted her once and now she's working for Ironwood as a way to pay off her debt." Azure said coldly. The four students looked shocked.

"What did YOU do?" Damian asked, making sure to copy Lafayette to the best of his ability.

"I was an adventurer." She began

"A gipsy." Azure interrupted.

"I travelled the world fighting Grimm and looking for treasure."

"and evading tax laws and sleeping in people's driveways and let's not forget stealing my boyfriend!" Azure snapped.

"Sorry Sis, he was a bit of a dick to be honest so I really did you a favour." Lafayette giggled.

"Sis?" Nathan said, "You two are related?"

"Yes we are, by the only bond thinker then spit, blood." Layette said proudly.

"That's still disgusting." Azure said bluntly. She then turned back to the students. "so what made you leave the academy, old man Ironwood being a drag again."

"Well I mean that is a constant. Were just here because some of the students busted up the cafeteria so we have no food." Nathan replied

"Well that sucks, why don't you come with me I know a place that does great Eastern Vacuo food." Azure said keenly.

"Well sure why not. Lead the way." Lafayette said. The students followed as the two sisters lead the way through the bright neon streets and tunnels that shopping district was made of.

"I've never had Eastern Vacuo food what's it like?" Damian asked.

"My mum is from there actually," Gagana said, "We had it quite a lot at home. It's, at its base anyway. Cured meats, fruit pasts and flat bread. Oh and they use lots of herbs and spices to give it a lot of punch."

"Not sure how my bland Mantal stomach will handle something with punch?" Nathan said. Damian nodded in agreement.

"I've always thought that the food here was colourful enough." Gagana said.

"Na," Nathan replied, "that's Atlas city food, they import a lot of that. The food I and I assume Damian here is use to is quite bland and mushy you know porridge, fish soup, actually fish snaps are kinda great."

"Oh I love them." Damian said mouth-watering at the thought.

"What is a fish snap?" Ryu asked.

"Oh it's like… Imagine beef jerky with a fish instead of a cow." Nathan replied slowly.

"Sounds disgusting." Ryu replied almost visibly disturbed by the notion.

Damian suddenly felt his scroll buzzing. He and answered to a familiar voice.

"Howdy."

"Hello Scarlet what's up?" Damian asked.

"We just got out of class and realised we have nothing to eat where have you guys gone off to?"

"We're out with Lafayette and one of her friends getting some food."

"Do you think you could pick us up something? Oh and Brett is asking as well." Damian rolled his eyes, _I'm not a take away joint_ , he thought to himself.

"Yea sure, I don't really know what the food is like but I'll just get you whatever Gagana recommends." He replied

"Okay thanks Damian."

"Yea see you soon." Damian hung up and was about to put his scroll away when he got a notification, it said: fifty Lien has been added to your student account by the Gold dust company. _That must be Mary covering the cost_ , he thought. When Damian looked up they had finally arrived at the shop, it had a simple wooden look that clashed with the nearby chrome and neon. Inside was full of a think smoky sent that filled Damian's nostrils and caused them to tingle.

"Gagana can you order enough food for twelve." Damian asked as he had no clue what any of the words on the menus meant. He then taped his scroll against Gagana's and transferred the Lien. She nodded and trotted off to the counter and began talking very quickly in an accent Damian could barely follow.

Lafayette returned from the counter while her food was being processed.

"Do you think you guys can make it back on your own."

"Yea I think so." Damian said.

"Good it's been ages since I had a drink with sis so I'm gonna be here if anything happens, which it shouldn't." She added hastily before returning to the counter.

A few minutes later Gagana returned with two large brown bags filled with smaller paper wrapped parcels and two large bottles held under her arms. Nathan and Ryu took the bags off her leaving her with the drinks.

"He was such a nice man," Gagana said as they headed back to the academy, "he even gave me these drinks for free, they should help keep it cool." She said holding a bottle filled with what looked like light blue cream. "The other is just berry juice." she added.

"Sounds good." Nathan said as he decided to look into his bag, "looks like we have quite a feast."

"Yea Vacuo food is quite good for shearing." She said.

Suddenly something caught Damian's yes and he sprinted down a side ally. It was a streak of brown. He wasn't even sure where he remembered it from but he whipped around a corner, crashed into something and fell down. He heard a squeak and quickly jumped to his feet. Turns out he had knocked someone over.

"Oh fuck, I'm really sorry." He said as he leant a hand. The person got to their knees and turned around.

"Not you again!" It screamed. Damian upon seeing the persons face recognised her immediately. It was the girl from the train. She pulled out a large rifle from underneath her cloak and jammed the barrel between his eyes. A voice called out from behind Damian.

"What is wrong with you, you got caught again! And by the same guy."

"It's not like I intend for these things to occur." she whined. The voice signed and Damian didn't try to look behind him over fear of getting shot. "Melody put him to sleep the." The voice said coldly. Damian suddenly heard music and felt his muscles start to loosen up, his body grew heavy but his survival instinct kicked him to keep himself awake. He snarled then roared at the girl petrifying her and making her drop her weapon.

"For crying out load Bon you are useless!" The voice said angrily. Damian turned to see several figures on the roof top. The one talking, a boy dressed in green was the one who had been talking. "Rolo will you please take care of him."

"Dude that's a giant fucking Ursa." One of the figures responded.

"No it's not it's clearly and illusion or something." The green clad figure said.

"No it ain't!" Damian said as he jumped towards him and took a swipe. He then found himself flying backwards to the ground. He wracked his brain trying to work out what happen. Two of the figures jumped down onto him and pinned him to the ground.

"Good night!" On said venomously as he jabbed and barb into Damian's neck and started to electrocute him until he passed out.

When Damian woke up his team where huddled around him and he was back on the Main Street.

"What happened?" he asked. He tried to sit up but his limbs were numb and unresponsive.

"We were just about to ask you that." Ryu said.

"Yea we just saw you run into an alleyway then I chased after you but got lost. I heard you shouting then I found you passed out on the ground so I dragged you back here." Nathan said. A clatter of footsteps could be heard and moments latter Lafayette and Azure showed up and asked what happen.

"It was that girl." Damian said groggily his tongue felt a bit numb too. "The one I thought on the train. She had some friends."

"Come on kid I need descriptions." Azure said as she took out her scroll and started sending messages now with her hat and badge on.

"The girl is short brown haired, brown cloak she had a large gun. A boy dressed in green, another boy dressed in brown cloak and a shock baton and four other people in cloaks one of which had a musical devise." Damian spluttered trying to speak as quickly as possible. Azure patted him on the head.

"Good work." She then looked to Lafayette, "get this trooper home." And she darted off with her gun in her had. Nathan and Lafayette picked up Damian while Ryu grabbed the food.

"Let's get out of here." she said as the four of them marched of back to the academy.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Lafayette dropped of Damian in his room and left him with his team while she went to inform Ironwood of what happened. Damian lay there on his bed it occurred to him that this had happened a lot more since he had moved to Atlas.

"So Damian what happened exactly?" Nathan asked sensitively.

"Which bit?" Damian replied as he sat up.

"Well I guess we could start with how that police officer knows you."

"Well-." Damian started before being interrupted by a knock at the door. Gagana ran over and opened it to Team STRM.

"Thank ya'll… Damian?" Scarlet asked as she walked in.

"Well I was about to start when you came a knocking." He replied.

"Is it an interesting story?" Mary asked.

"You could say that it is, somewhat. Now let me begin with saying-."

"You look like shit man what happened?" Brett said as he entered the room with his team.

"Gather round and I shall recount the tale of how I, Damian Carmine was attacked for the first and last times this week." Damian replied rolling his eyes after being interrupted again.

"Would it be most current?" Rylee said as she sat on the floor.

"Please don't jinx me."

"She makes a good point." Nathan added.

"Can we get food first?" Timothy asked and everyone seconded. Gagana had apparently prepared some plates ahead of time and handed one to each person. Damian put his by his side as he didn't feel up to trying new things at the moment.

"Okay first we have the tale of the bear and girl." He said clearly as if reciting a tale told to children.

"There was once a bear walking through a forest. In the forest he found and empty looking steam boat. The bear decided to sit on the deck as he was looking for adventure. The boat started to head down stream at remarkable speed which startled and amazed him. Before long the ship's captain walked onto the deck and he accused the bear of eating all the other cargo. The bear pleaded his innocence but the captain would have none of it, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at the bear and threatened to shoot but then out of nowhere a rat crawled out from behind the captain and stabbed him in the back. The rat thanked the bear for taking the blame for it and asked the bear if he would join his team of outlaws. The bear said no and squashed the rat." Damian punctuated this by blowing a short raspberry.

"The bear then felt weary so he took a nap. When he awoke he was in a silver town with bright lights and new sights. The towns sheriff approached him and asked if he had eaten the cargo. The bear said no and pointed to the rat but it was gone. The bear grew worried but was ultimately let because of lack of evidence." Damian said with a shift in tone.

"Well that was … something." Ryu said callously.

"I thought it was a great story." Scarlet said speaking over Ryu. "Okay what about the next part?" she added.

"How did you know there was a second half?" Damian asked. Scarlet opened her mouth but Damian continued. "That was rhetorical and I shall now continue with my second tale Rat-Splat two."

"I beat I can guess the ending." Nathan said with a laugh.

"In the town the bear made some new friends, a dog a snake and an owl." His team looked at him then to each other, clearly deciding who was who. "one day a fox and a dalmatian destroyed the watering hole so the four companions had to leave their set to find new food. After finding some and heading back to their home the bear was enhanced by something he saw off the beaten path, he left the group and ran after it. As he ran through the woods off the path he tripped, fell and heard a splat." Again punctuated with a raspberry. "It was the rat, she seemed awfully upset after being flattened not once but twice. It called for its friends and they ganged up on the bear seven to one. Luckily for the bear he was a big strong bear and he easily took out the rats and their devious plans. The bear then returned to his home with his friends where they threw a party. The end." He said matter-a-factly.

"I'd Like to tell another story." Nathan said enthusiastically.

"I mean I'm not sure we have time." Damian said as he started to eat. Nathan saw no objection so he started.

"There was once a dog who strived for adventure and he had a great big bear for a friend. One day the two mysteriously ran out of food, probably because the snake that lives in their house ate it all. So they headed off into the forest to retrieve some. Along the way the bear saw a rat and started to run off the path as it chased after it. The dog ran off to help his friend but when he found him he was face first in a pile of mud so he had to drag him home and patch him up. The end."

"I wonder if these two stories are connected in some way?" Ramon asked in mock thought.

"Yea me two!" Rylee said more seriously.

"Well they do say all tails have a head." Scarlet said thoughtful.

"Guys seriously he's talking about himself and what happens to himself in the past week." Timothy said aggravated.

"Who called the fun police." Mary said casually as she ate. Brett put his scroll to his ear.

"Yes officer of like to report an incident… Yes, we have a fun killer here in this building, I demand assistance." Oscar kept across and pined Timothy and started to play fight with him.

"Sir I have detained the suspect." He said. Rylee strutted over.

"How do you plead on the charges of fun killing of the 1st degree?" She asked.

"The only thing I'm guilt of is being too cool." Timothy retorted trying to sound as cool as possible.

"On no he's right I think he stole my heart." Mary said and flopped to the floor.

"Make that fun killing and heart breaking!" Rylee said.

"Oh no I think he's got mine too." Scarlet said flopping onto Mary.

"And mine!" Richard said dramatically before joining his team.

"Oh dear is this some kind of mass Homo-cide or an epidemic." Rylee cried out. Timothy glared at Richard.

"Look what you've done now." He whined.

"What's wrong with that?" Oscar asked?

"Nothing really but it's hard to be a lady killer if people started to think your gay."

"Quit while your ahead." Mary called from underneath scarlet.

"Ah ha he admits it." Rylee said continuing her skit by herself.

"Scarlet you think I'm cool right?" He pleaded. She continued pretending to be dead on the floor.

"Ramona? Rylee? Gagana?" He said looking around the room.

"You wouldn't be my first choice." Ramona replied coldly.

"Wow that was harsh." Brett laughed and slapped her on the back.

"Don't worry Timothy I'll always go to you if I need some ice." Rylee said innocently.

"Good to know I outrank a vendor." He sighed then solely turned to Gagana. She blushed.

"I'm not really interested in that sort of thing." Rylee ran over and wrapped her arm around her shoulder.

"Don't worry you not missing out they guys here kinda suck."

"Hey!" All the boys responded in unison.

"We have to respect out minority's!" Rylee said boldly

"Why? She just a person like anyone else here what's she done to earn anything extra." Ryu said coolly.

"What my blunt friend means is wouldn't putting her on a pedestal increase the problem." Nathan interjected.

"Wait are you implying I like girls now?" Gagana squeaked.

"That's what you said right?" Rylee said and turned back to look at her.

"Ugh no that isn't exactly what I meant." She said quietly.

"Oh so you meant you don't like humans, well I'm not going to be too offended myself and I won't put you down for it ether." Rylee replied cheerfully. Gagana turned even more red.

"Is that racist?" Brett asked then looked to Damian

"Technical yes but it's not a malicious thing. It's just a preference so maybe not." Nathan said the also looked to Damian. Gagana got up and stormed of saying something about the bathroom even though she left the dorm.

"Rylee see what all your teasing has done now!" Ramona snapped. Rylee lowered her head.

"I'll go apologise to her." She sniffed and walked out after her.

"Sorry guys my sister is a bit of a social retard." Ramona sighed.

"I don't think it's just her, Gagana isn't the best people person ether to be honest." Ryu said.

"Well nether are you Mr cold dark and brooding." Nathan said back to Ryu.

"I'll admit that." Ryu replied. Nathan looked a little surprised that he accepted it so easily.

"Oh did y'all hear about that fight this weekend?" Scarlet said trying to change the subject.

"Oh yea we're all entering." Brett said enthusiastically.

"Us too!" Damian added.

"I'm just so excited. There's gonna be a big stage and a crowd and everything. I wonder how my papa will react seeing his little gall on the big screen?"

"You are quite the country bumpkin aren't you?" Ryu asked.

"And you just like starting fights don't you little man? Yes, I'm from out of town, I grew up on a farm so you people could eat your burgers. Happy!"

"Please ignore my ill-mannered friend." Nathan said trying to defuse the tension.

"Yea Ryu I am getting tired of your bull shit so can you stop." Damian added. Ryu didn't respond so Damian took his silence as acceptance. Luckily Gagana and Rylee came back to end the silence.

"Hey guys have any of you heard of any spooky going ons at Atlas?" Rylee asked.

"I think you're going to have to elaborate a bit." Damian replied scratching his head.

"Like didn't you have a set spooky stories, like haunted bathrooms, unexplained screaming in the night, green slime oozing from the walls. That sort of thing." The students sat and thought for a bit before Damian spoke up first.

"Well I mean at my combat classes in Torchlight my teacher always said not to enter the mine after dark or you might get eaten by a Grimm."

"Damian I think that's just a safety warning." Ramona said. "The reason my sis is saying this is because in our little town there were the three midnight horrors. Or so they were called."

"What where they?" Nathan asked.

"Don't look in the mirror of my third floor or your teeth will fall out. If you shout the name of the previous headmistress three times she'll make your grades all fails. And don't poop in the gym toilet or you'll be eaten by a goblin."

"A poop goblin!" Brett laughed, "that may be the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"Hey I didn't say I believed them!" Ramona replied then turned her head as she pouted. There was then a knock at the door and Lafayette and Gwynn entered.

"Quite the gathering we have here." Lafayette said as she walked over to Damian. "You feeling better?"

"Not completely but getting there." He replied quickly.

"What's with all this special treatment?" Ryu asked.

"It's because it happened out of school time and grounds and he should have been under my watch." Lafayette said sounding like she'd lost all the fight she had.

"Don't worry Lafayette I'll show you how good I am by competing in the fight on Saturday."

"Oh how brave." Lafayette said as brought him into a hug. "But remember having guts is only useful when they are functioning." She said as walked off.

"You lot should probably head back to your rooms we have a physical exam tomorrow." Gwynn said as he walked out after Lafayette.

"A what?" Nathan asked startled.

"Normally we'd have already done it but organisation around here has been pretty sparse." He replied before closing the door.

"Okay see y'all I guess." Scarlet said as she got up and left with her team.

"Latters." Brett said with a wave as BRRO left as well.

Damian leant back. What a long day he thought before he noticed something against his back. He turned and fished out a small shot bottle with a label saying drink up for a goodnight. Damian quickly downed the bottle and within minutes was out like a light.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Next day all twenty-four first year students found themselves lined up in the gym hall. This was different from the training hall as it was less for combat and more for physical sport like training like running laps and jumping hurdles.

"I don't understand why we have to train in our uniforms." Nathan mumbled to Damian while trying to make it look like he was standing alert. Ironwood stepped forward to the six teams.

"Students I have you all here today to do some physical tests. If you can please follow the second years and staff with me, we can start." A short green haired girl that Damian recognised from the other day walked up to his team.

"Good morning first years I'm Myrtle nice to meet you." She said as she shook Damian's hand. She pulled out a tailor's tape from her pocket.

"If you just rise your arms I'll take down _All_ your measurements." Placing an a lot of enthuses on that one word. They all did as they were told though and Myrtle whipped around all of them in no time at all. After noting it all down she grabbed she out the tape on a table and took over a scale, a stethoscope and a stop watch.

"Are you qualified to use that?" Nathan asked. Myrtle looked to the stethoscope and frowned.

"Yes I'm a surgeon. A shotgun surgeon to be precise, so not really but I can read a heartbeat." She replied. Nathan's face went from nervous to calm and back again with amazing speed.

"Nathan it's just a stethoscope calm yourself." Ryu said patting him on the back.

"I don't like the doctors." He mumbled.

"That is quite the extreme phobia for a huntsman to be." Myrtle said as she placed the scale at Nathan's feet.

"I fear anything I can't fill with pellets and you can't shoot a germ." He said defiantly as he hopped on the scale.

"Oh you a shotgun hotshot two?" Myrtle asked, "oh can you take off your shirt." She said waving the end of her stethoscope in her hand. Nathan gladly chucked off his blazer and slid off his shirt. Myrtle whistled.

"I didn't actually need you to take off your shit, was just wanting to check you out." She said bluntly causing Nathan to turn red and jump back.

"Hey back on the scale I'm not done with you." Myrtle said as she pulled Nathan back on and placed her equipment to his chest. He shivered but didn't move this time. Myrtle started to jot down some notes.

"Subject appears to have extremely high plus and temperature, may need attention."

"What!" Nathan exclaimed.

"I'm just screwing with you," she said lowering her glasses so she could look at him eye to eye. "You're as healthy as you are fit." She finished and pushed her glasses back up. Nathan looked quite unnerved at this point and hurriedly put his shirt back on. Myrtle quickly breezed through Ryu and Gagana without too much incident.

She then dumped her equipment on the table and picked up two small black devices and walked over to Damian.

"Put this on your wrist please." Damian did as he was told but then asked. "Is that a taser?" When he got a closer look at the other device.

"Correct." Myrtle replied cheerfully.

"So why are you going to electrocute me?" He asked calmly.

"I will send a set dosage of electricity through you to attempt to break your aura, which we assume all students have active at all times, and then we measure how much your aura has depleted to determine how high your total aura as a numeric value." Myrtle replied while adjusting her glasses so the light caught them.

"As you do." Damian said bracing himself. He felt a small prick when she shoved the taser into his chest.

"Well that wasn't too bad."

"Oh I haven't shocked you yet." Myrtle said apologetically.

"Seriouslyyyyyyeeeeeeeee!" Damian attempt to respond.

"Wow only ten percent depletion." Myrtle said excitedly, "well you know what they say about a guy with a big aura." She said giving Damian a wink.

"What do they say?" Gagana asked innocently. Myrtle paused then walked over to Gagana and whispered something in her ear causing her to go redder then Nathan. She then walked back and tested the rest of the team.

"So how did I do." Ryu asked trying not to sound like he cared too much.

"Well little man you did okay for someone of your stature." She replied sweetly.

"What the hell does that mean!" He shouted. Myrtle unfazed responded with "You're the lowest in your team so you can put your pride back in your pants and stop shouting." Ryu looked gobsmacked.

Ironwood blew a whistle.

"That should be all the tests finished gather round here for the next part." The students filed over Ryu still fuming.

"Next will be a simple exercise in speed and dexterity, run around the course laid out in front of us. First a hundred-meter dash, then a five-meter pit jump followed by a ten-meter vertical wall-climb and finally another hundreds meters, fist we will do a normal round then those with semblances they think can aid them can go again for a second time. Now line up." Eight students at a time lined up and took position. Damian cleared his head and looked forward. _Setting a good time definitely couldn't be a bad thing so he'd give it his all. Also his depleted aura would make activating his semblance easier_ he thought.

"Go!" Ironwood shouted and the students set off. Damian bolted down the track but what he had in size he lacked in speed as Ryu, Scarlet, Nathan and Gagana overtook him. As he approached the pit he started counting his steps so he could jump from his dominant leg. He Leapt across and cleared with an extra meter or so to spare allowing him to overtake Nathan. He continued for the wall trying not to slow. And jumped landing half way up the wall. using his momentum, he was able to power up the remainder of the wall and vault over he could see Ryu and Scarlet in front of him, he knew he couldn't catch up but a third seemed okay.

They were greeted by Ruaridh at the finish line who was holding bottles of water. Damian took a gulp and then sat down so he could watch the next two runs. Next up was teams URCA and BLNC.

"Man I almost feel sorry for Bianca's team," Scarlet said to Damian, "she's gonna get racist ass whooped."

"Yea pretty sure it's going to be something like Ulrik, Cheshire then Ross not sure about Amber, she doesn't look the over athletic type." "I agree now let's see how this goes."

"Second round GO!" Ironwood shouted and the students bolted out. Ross rocketed ahead reaching the pit within seconds and crossing it with no effort and was at the wall just as quick. He made a little pre jump before he was at the wall and then front flipped strait over the wall. The other students shouted and whistled with excitement. The main body of the racers had only just crossed the pit and surprisingly Lyssa was managing out run Cheshire and keep neck and neck with Ulrik and she stayed equal with him, nose to nose until the end of the race. Ross's team ran over to him as he has already sat down and congratulated him on his domination, even Ruaridh and Ironwood seemed impressed. Last was teams BLYD and BRRO. "What do you think will happen here?" Scarlet asked.

"I don't know. They're pretty evenly matched but I don't actually know how fast Brett's team are on foot as they all have alternate forms of transport.

"Third round GO!" Ironwood shouted as the final group headed off. As they thought it was pretty even win Ramona and Yuki narrowly leading everyone else in a pack close behind. Only when they reached the wall did the formation change, with Rylee climbing up as if it was horizontal allowing her to finish tied with her sister and Yuki. As the thee of them crossed the finish line the students cheered again.

"Now for the main even." Scarlet said gleefully.

"Now that that is over will any students wanting a try with their semblance please walk forwards. Damian walked forward and was surprised that only two others joined him, Ramona and Ulrik.

"You have a minute to make any preparations." Ironwood said as he took a seat.

"Oh yea this'll be too easy, sorry guys but you just lost." Ramona said confidently as she started jogging on spot, her legs starting to visible glow. Ulrik's team quick rushed over and locked their hands, Ulrik was now also starting to glow and his hair stood on end. Damian decided he'd better get read and let out a defiant roar and dropped to all fours.

"God you two look pretty beastly." Ramona said quickly, still running on the spot.

"3…2…1…GO!" Ironwood shouted. Damian and Ulrik where knocked to the side and Ramona shot around the whole course before the two could even recover. They looked to each other, now it was their race. The two boys bolted down the track, Ulrik slowly inching ahead. He gained even more distance on the jump. Damian approached the wall. He jumped and barged through wall leaving a pile of rubble and caused Ulrik to fall off the top. The crowd cheered and Ironwood moaned as Damian got his respectable second.

"That was a sly move." Ulrik said once he caught up to Damian at the finish. "I mean I wouldn't call it that." Damian said with a chuckle. Ironwood approached the three racers,

"That was a good attempt, all of you improved your times and distances by in some cases immeasurable amounts." He said looking at Ramona.

"Thank you." Ramona replied.

"No I'm thankful to have such promising students." Ironwood said with a genuine looking smile.

"Oh I didn't think you thought that highly of us, well me specifically." Damian said awkwardly.

"Damian I have never thought you were bad. I've seen potential in you ever since I received your application to my academy six months ago. You're currently a lump of coal who makes a mess of whatever he touches. But I believe there is a diamond inside, I just need to work on it until it shines." Ironwood said proudly. "But just so you personally don't grow to big headed you should know that I only accept students who I see potential in, so like everyone one else here, you are destined for greatness." The three students grinned as they looked from Ironwood to each other.

"Now we must get to starting the next event." Ironwood said as he made his way back to the other students.

"Hey what was Ironwood talking to you about?" Nathan asked when Damian returned to his team.

"Stuff about me being coal and making a mess but having potential inside." He said still grinning.

"Maybe he does have a heart after all." Nathan said sounding impressed.

"Or he's just using his mind to find and farm the best resources." Ryu said taking a sip from a juice box,

"Always got to kill it don't you!" Nathan said losing the ability to be angry at Ryu.

"Students I hope your still ready to go as there is more to do. Now we shall be doing a strength test, those who specialise in raw power, here is your time to shine." Ironwood said

"Why do I feel he was aiming that at us." Nathan said sullenly

"And why do I feel it was also derogatory. Ryu added equally so. Ironwood walked over to a row of simple looking machines.

"These little contraptions are nothing more than force meters so all you have to do is deliver a punch or kick hard enough that the light goes green. Any volunteers." Damian and Richard stuck up their hands.

"I think we better leave you too for last, don't want to lose any more equipment before the rest of the students have had a shot." Ruaridh said forming a large cross with his arms.

"These machines can be broken that easily?" Ryu asked.

"Well they can be calibrated for higher forces we just keep it at a set point that the average student should be able to deal with." Ruaridh answered.

"Can we use our weapons?" Brett asked.

"Not for this no, but don't worry that comes next." Ironwood reassured him. With that the students lined up and stated to batter the machines one by one, some like Nathan and Brett doing simple punch combos and others like Ryu and Scarlet doing more impressive things like dive and cartwheel kicks. As Richard and Damian stepped up the crowd started to gain excitement.

"Ruaridh, sorry Mr King why don't you and the headmaster give it a shot?" Damian asked.

"Is that a challenge?" He replied.

"I think he's challenging you James." Lafayette said egging him on.

"Well I guess students learn by example." Ironwood said as he took off his coat and handed it to Marian. Scarlet and Cheshire whistles in delight.

Ironwood took paused, deep breath. Then darted forwards at surprising speed for his build and and landed a direct punch causing the machine to shudder. There was cheering from the students.

"C…Can we use your semblances?" Damian asked.

"If you feel it necessary, Damian you can," Ironwood replied gleefully, "but remember you can't waste all your aura yet we still have more to do."

"Got it." Damian replied eyes now set on the test rig. He growled and his right arm was engulfed in his red glow.

"Only need one punch." He said determination like fire in his eyes.

"Don't forget me," Richard said, giving his arm a few test swings. "Overdrive!" He shouted and his arms servos sped up and the who thing grew in size.

"Good thing I have clean-up crews on standby." Ironwood said clicking his fingers, summoning a band of small robots.

"Come on Damian beat that bucket of bolts!" Nathan shouted.

"You better win Richard! You can't be making team STRM look bad!" Mary shouted as well.

"You guys always look bad though." Nathan said cooly. Ryu pulled him back to avoid Mary's rapidly flailing limbs and scarlet tried to hold her. Damian looked to Richard then them they both nodded and looked back to their targets. They both charged and punched the machines. There was an explosion followed by a cloud of dust. Ironwood's robots immediately began to hover up the debris. Both the boys had managed to lodged their arms in the machines. Ironwood clapped slowly and the other students laughed out loud. Richard disconnect his arm and walked back to his team.

"What about me?" Damian cried.

"learning how to get out of one's own messes is a great life skill." Ironwood replied to more laughter.

"Nathan fetch me Fenrir!" Damian shouted.

"Oh dear." Nathan replied as he grabbed Damian's missile launcher. Damian grabbed it off him with his spare hand.

"Fire in the hole." He shouted before blasting himself away from the machine and leaving only a smouldering wreck.

"your aura really is marvellous, however is it so strong?" Ironwood asked.

"Born under a blessed star or something I guess." Damian said nonchalantly

"Or born with seventy percent explosive resistance." Ryu added.

"Now is our weapons testing stage. You'll enter a ring of targets shoot all of them as quickly as possible, once all are destroyed another ring of targets will appear at melee range, deal with them accordingly."

"Can I demonstrate?" Lafayette asked putting on a childlike voice.

"You mean brag to a bunch of students to help your shattered ego then sure."

"James you have no chill in you at all." She responded shocked.

"The other day you did say I had no heart, merle an ice cooled processor. In your words." He reposed.

"Why do I work for you." Lafayette responded exasperatedly.

"Well because you have to remember." He said plainly.

"That was rhetorical!" She said as she stomped into the circle of targets.

"Oh Mary and Anna at least you understand me." She said drawing her rifles. She pointed one to each side the spun around shooting all the targets in rapid succession. The targets fell and the inner ones rose up to fill the ranks. Lafayette in one fluid moment ejected the ends of her rifles revealing two swords and spun in the opposite direction decapitating all the targets. She picked up her rifle parts and walked back now looking slightly better.

"Anyone who can get even within three seconds of my time will win a little reward." She said more confidently.

"Winning the favour of the students I see." Marian said coolly.

"Just cuz no one likes you, you shroud hag!" Lafayette shouted practically spitting in Marian's face.

"Ladies please," Gwynn said creating an explosive force knocking the two away from each other. "The students see us, all of us, even Lafayette. As role models so give them something to desire."

"Can I go first?" Ryu asked Ironwood ignoring the teacher's drama.

"Sure be my guest." Ironwood replied his attention drawn away from his staff. Ryu walked into the circle. He stood their silently for a while looking at the best way to approach the problem of dealing with a whole ring of enemies with his slow rifle. After a period of relative silence and still while the rest watched on curiously. Ryu jumped over the targets and started running around the outside shooting bullets from the back of the targets through the middle and into the targets on the others side. After he finished his little half loop he jumped back into centre in time for the second wave of targets to appear. In a similar fashion to Lafayette he spun Zang Jisuh over his head and decapitated all the targets around him. He walked out and towards Lafayette with a huge grin on his face. They both looked at each other than Lafayette sighed.

"Don't think we're equals yet you still have to shave off another two seconds until you're on par." Lafayette then bent down and kissed him on the cheek.

"Good job, little fighter." She said as she got back up and patted him on the head. Ryu stood their stunned then smacked her hand away.

"WA wa wa what do you think you're doing." He stuttered going bright red. Lafayette actually looked a little shocked but she recovered quickly.

"Sorry dear didn't know you were gonna be such a baby about it." Ryu clenched his teeth and stormed out of the room robotically.

"Damian you can your team better finish up so you can find Mr Lu." Ironwood said plainly.

"Aren't you going to complain about him leaving?" Nathan asked.

"It seemed warranted." Ironwood replied.

"Okay double time." Damian said as he ran into the centre of the targets. He pointed Fenrir at floor.

"Please tell me your just rel-." Nathan tried to say before his leader blasted himself to the ceiling and destroying all the ground targets. The students from who hadn't seen him in combat before gasped. He then roared flattening the newly popped targets and landed with a crash to finish them off."

"Your next." He said as he walked away with barely a mark on him.

"Aye Aye." Nathan said as he walked into the arena. He clipped in a magazine and sprayed at all the targets leaving non standing.

"Okay Thrawhammer let's play whack a mole!" He said as his weapon transformed and he started to overhead smash the targets. The jogged out of the arena and Gagana darted in before Damian could even ask her two. She chucked four of her dust cards into the air and teleported them into her gauntlets and sandals. The crowed of students owed as none of them had really seen her semblance at work. She then punched sending out bolts of electricity at the targets. As the second wave speared she used a flaming spin kick to knock them all down.

"Damn girl your making me look bad." Nathan said as Gagana left the arena. "I feel like I'm the only one not one-shoting entire groups."

"This'll only take a few minutes." Damian said as he left to find Ryu.

It didn't take long to find Ryu. He was just sat on the floor outside the door. Damian walked over to him on his own while Nathan and Gagana stood aside.

"So what's up Ryu?" He asked taking a seat beside him. Ryu sniffed a little.

"I'm just a little home sick I guess." He mumbled.

"Well that sucks." Damian said stretching out his legs.

"It's my mum." Ryu said softly after a short pause.

"What now?" Damian asked.

"I miss her, and Lafayette surprised me because she was acting just like her."

"Oh I see." Damian replied awkwardly, knowing deep down there was little he could do for his teammate.

"I guess you could say I was coddled by my her, there was never a time growing up I wasn't at her side."

"What about your dad?" Damian asked curiously. He immediately regretted this when he got his reply.

"Never knew him." Ryu replied. "Not that I care to know him, she never talked about him so I guess it isn't a big deal." Ryu added when he noticed Damian clearly didn't have any idea how to react.

"Oh I see so we've got a little mama's boy!" Lafayette said nastily. Damian's jaw dropped, _how could Lafayette say something like that_ , he thought. He snapped to look at Ryu who's expression had hardened.

"This is a place for FIGHTERS! Not BABIES who can't last half a week without their mommies." Lafayette shouted. Damian tried to speak but his words escaped him. Lafayette's tone shifted to that of malice. "If baby waits till the end of the day he can come with me when I got to ride the old bird."

"What the fuck!" Damian shouted, words finally available to him again. Ryu stood up.

"You leave my mother alone!" He shouted, still looking at the floor.

"Aww, is baby throwing a tantrum because I dissed on tavern girl."

"How do you know about that." Ryu said practically spitting fire.

"I told you she's a local delicacy from where you hail." She sneered.

In an instant Ryu Extended Zang Jishu to its maximum length and batted Lafayette away, sending her crashing through the double doors back into the gym hall.

"Ryu? W… What. No! Stop!" Damian pleaded. Ryu punched him in the gut and marched purposefully back into the room. Nathan and Gagana who had been waiting on the other side of the door ran in to get Damian.

"When Lafayette said she wanted to talk to Ryu I didn't think she was going to do that." Nathan said as he pulled his leader off the floor.

"Well let's see were this goes, I'm not who has bitten off more than they can chew but it will be something alright." Damian blathered as he headed back to the guy.

The atmosphere of competition and fun had been replaced with shock and aww. When Damian walked in he saw Lafayette and Ryu fighting in a bubble like dome. He ran over to Ironwood who was looking oddly clam.

"I'm sorry headmaster there was nothing I could do." He said still a little out of breath.

"Stand down Damian, I was pretty sure Lafayette was going to do something like this." He replied

"You where?" Damian asked.

"Yes it seems your teammate has had a rather odd emotional bond with her so she thought the easiest way to solve the issue was to make sure he couldn't see her in the same light again."

"Wait so you just allowed THIS?" Nathan asked sounding applauded.

"Ryu is a strong kid he'll recover soon enough." Ruaridh said wincing a little.

"What's wrong Sir?" Gagana asked.

"He's projecting that bubble like shield over those two." Marian replied.

"That's a cool semblance." Nathan said.

"They don't call Mr King the Stalwart shield of Atlas for nothing." Ironwood said rather seriously.

"Oh I totally forgot there was a fight going on." Nathan said as he turned to see Lafayette and Ryu fighting.

"That boys running on pure rage at the moment." Ruaridh said gravely.

"Well Lafayette definitely wound him up and sent him off the deep end." Nathan added.

Ryu was indeed fighting like something possessed. He propelled himself from one end of the area to the other with the force of his weapon firing and would the swing wildly at Lafayette who seemed to be silently taunting him the whole time by narrowly dodging and countering him.

"Damian you have your teams date available right?" Ruaridh asked.

"Yea why do you ask?"

"What's Ryu's aura at?"

"Let me check," Damian said pulling out his scroll, "twenty-seven percent."

"Hu, he's doing better than last time." Gwynn said thoughtful.

Ryu jumped high into the air and bounced off the roof of the dome, charging down towards Lafayette. She dodged it again but when Ryu's blade impacted with the ground it created a huge explosion filling the dome with think smoke and dust.

"What happened?" Ironwood asked finally sounding concerned.

"It would seem he detonated his ammo pack." Gwynn said simply. Ruaridh then let out a howl of pain as the dome shattered and a body flew high into the air. It was Lafayette but she wasn't out yet as she recovered mid-air and sent a barrage of bullets into the smoke cloud causing it to dissipate and reveal Ryu lying spread eagle. Lafayette landed and collapsed as well. Damian was about to run over to Ryu before Ironwood put his arm out to stop him,

"I'll deal with his." he said then called for more of his miniature robots. The robots picked up the two bodies and speeded them out of the room.

"Maybe now we can return to the task at hand." He sighed then spoke aloud to the gym.

"We can now, after that little incident, continue to the final part of this physical exam with an endurance test." Gwynn walked forward pockets clinking with the sound of dust crystals.

"This is my specialty." He said with a grin.

"What does this test entail, Professor." Scarlet asked bouncing on the spot to try and get Gwynn's attention.

"I'm going to subject you to some harsh elements the longer you can withstand before accepting your limit the better. Oh I should add that bearing pain until you pass out is not actually useful for me gathering data so please leave when you feel ready, you won't be able to repeat this for an hour or so. So please give it your all."

Scarlet and her team pushed their way to the front of the students.

"Well go first!" They shouted, Timothy less in enthusiastically then the others. Scarlet turned to Damian.

"We can't have ya'll showing us up at everything." Damian shrugged.

"Wait till it's over."

"You should know I'm just going to do everyone at once." Gwynn said interrupting the conversation.

"Oh okay." Scarlet said her enthusiasm leaking a little.

"First sheer cold." Gwynn said slotting a light blue crystal into his staff. Immediately the temperature in the room began to fall. Timothy stood their proudly.

"You call this cold, I shit colder things then this!" He said definitely to Gwynn. Gwynn slammed his staff into the ground and hail stated to fall forming think lumps of ice. Everyone took this as a sigh to get serious. Damian Roared, Nathan armoured up and Gagana Prepared for the worst.

The hail fell harder and a wind formed around the group of students wrapping them in.

"You just had to ask!" Brett shouted as Timothy who still stood there without a care in the world. Brett huddled with his team, Oscar was shivering, Ramona less so and Rylee, she looked fine actually.

"How are you not frozen?" Brett mumbled.

"I ice climb every winter, this ain't much."

"Good for you." Brett replied. He rubbed his head as lumps of ice bounced of him comically.

"This is totally unfair to those without an ice affinity you know!" Mary screamed to Gwynn.

"Don't worry," he called "I'm about to turn up the heat!" With that another slam of his staff could be heard and the ice evaporated forming hot steam.

"Ouch, fuck you Gwynn!" Mary screamed.

"You can leave at any time." He said simply. At this point Nathan and Damian has sat down, pretty much protected and pretty bored.

"I think I'm going to set a record." Nathan said absentmindedly.

"Do you smell burning?" Damian asked.

"Yea," Nathan sniffed, "Smells kinda gamy." The both turned and saw Amber's spins had caught fire.

"Where'ed all this fire come from?" Nathan asked as he looked around seeing more students quitting and walking out of the effected zone.

"You too may have not noticed but it's a freaking oven in here." Gagana said uncharacteristically flustered.

"BLYD seem okay." Damian said point to the four of them meditating in the centre of the storm.

"I'm not sure they count as normal." Gagana said now sweating profusely.

"Why don't you take off your hood." Nathan asked. Gagana looked shocked.

"I can't!"

"Not even in a fire storm?" Nathan asked.

"Not ever!" She replied.

"Wait how do you shower with that?" Damian asked.

"This isn't the time," she sighed.

There was then a deafening crack from the sky and a dark cloud formed. The noise caused Damian and Nathan to jump to their feet.

"Guys, where does lighting strike first." Gagana asked.

"Oh you know tall or highly conductive things. Why do you ask." Nathan replied. Gagana started to edge backwards. Realisation hit Damian as his yes darted around.

"Fuck! Hey Richard." He shouted quickly an idea burning in his mind. The now wet and socking boy turned around.

"What's up Damian?" He asked looking a little bewildered.

"I just realised we didn't high five after that punch out earlier, and you know no time like the present."

"Oh sure." he said swinging his arm up expecting Damian to do the same but instead a huge bolt of electricity jumped down and through him. His eyes flashed and he fell and landed on his but.

Nathan started to laugh out loud. "What a dumb brick head, you sure got him Damian." Scarlet looked shocked.

"That was mean, you should have taken your lightning bolt like a man!" She said then turned to look to her teammate. Richard butt shuffled out of the danger zone now.

"Okay I will take my bolt like a man." Damian said to Scarlet as he stretched his arms high into the sky. Scarlet looked at him, she still looked a little taken aback by Damian's sneaky move. Damian stood there listening to the clouds very carefully and the instant he heard a rumbling he dropped to his knees leaving scarlet the tallest in the zone. Scarlet then grabbed the bold and mashed it into Damian's face. Nathan's laughter continued, he was now rolling on the floor.

"You forgot I can manipulate electric flow didn't you." Scarlet said sternly.

"YeeYes." Damian said still twitching on the floor. Timothy and Mart crawled out from behind her.

"She makes an awful good lighting rod you know." Mary said with an evil smile. Damian crawled to his knees and looked up to Scarlet.

"I'm sorry."

"No you're not, not yet." She replied coldly.

"What does that mean?" Damian asked causally.

"Mary bring me another." Scarlet said and Mary sent some steams of air spiralling into the clouds and scarlet raised her had to catch another bolt.

"Would you lot mind not screwing up my test!" Gwynn said angry.

"One sec!" Scarlet said before shoving another bolt of lightning into Damian's face.

"Okay all done." Gwynn visibly signed then changed his crystals again. The air cleared and for a second there was nothing.

"Ice, wind, fire and lighting. What else?" Nathan asked.

"I don't know or care." Damian said irately, trying to pat down his hair. His whole body then grew heavy, extremely heavy. Damian whipped around and saw everyone was being crushed into the floor by an invisible force. Gagana teleport out and remainder of STRM followed suit.

"You okay?" Damian asked Nathan who had physically sunk into the floor.

"Well imagine you were five times denser than normal and then imagine you had an uncontrollable desire to eat the laminate underfoot." He replied sarcastically. Damian slowly turned only he, Nathan, Ulrik, Newt and the whole of BLYD where left. Well it seems kind of obviously to him who the strongest team was now, which made him a little upset but even more determined to continue. Suddenly Damian's body felt as light as air. He jumped to his feet.

"Are we done?"

"One last environment to resist." Gwynn said before creating a purple cloud around the remind students. Ruaridh then sealed them in with his dome.

Damian felt his vision distorted. His skin then set ablaze and his eyes began to melt out of their sockets. He felt his bones crake and sharer and his teeth fade to mush. He screamed in agony and ran until he hit the dome and shattered through it. He blinked. He was okay. He sat their shaking for a few seconds before Gwynn walked over. Gwynn held out some chocolate.

"Have some it will help." He said snapping of a bit for Damian. Damian wolfed it down.

"What was that?" He asked, "Was that death?"

"No dear student it was something much worse, it's a form of poison that delivers complete mental destruction, similar to that people feel in times of absolute terror.

"I don't understand." Damian said his body now feeling very cold.

"In your travels you will encounter things you can't possibly comprehend so it's got to learn and accept when is the time to run."

"Did anyone pass that?" Damian asked

"Sure, you did, your friend Nathan did and so did Ulrik and Newt." Damian now looked even more confused.

"But we ran away."

"Which is exactly why you succeed. This was about knowing your limits and running in face of overwhelming adversity."

"Wait does that mean BLYD resisted it?" Damian asked. Gwynn's face contorted.

"I'm not sure you can count that as a win, they simply blocked all their sense to the point that they might as well have been dead. But Ironwood gave them the thumbs up so yes they did."

"Do you not agree with his judgment?" Damian asked.

"You are not in a position to ask me to think of such things like, disagreeing with the headmaster." Gwynn said remembering his position apparently. He got up and took a step before stopping again.

"Oh your teammate has lost his breakfast can you take him to the nurse."

"His what." Damian said Turing to see Nathan throwing up.

"Oh I see." He said as he slowly got to his feet.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Damian sat outside the medical room with Gagana while Nathan and Ryu where inside being treated.

"It's kinda weird that I've never been inside." Damian said absentmindedly.

"Probably would be better if did though." Gagana replied equally so.

"So you want me to get hurt?" Damian asked staining at the ceiling.

"You know that isn't what I meant." Gagana said, clearly showing she didn't have the energy to snap at him right now.

"Yea I know. You were just saying I should keep better care of myself." He replied. Gagana made an affirmative noise but didn't continue. There was then a pause between the two, not due to anything awkward, just because they were exhausted. Damian eventually checked his scroll, they had been sat outside the medical room for about half an hour. He didn't exactly think that anything was particularly wrong with Nathan, just shock, but the nurse made him stay in bed and take some medicine.

"Gagana these two aren't leaving any time soon want to have a walk." Gagana have another noise of affirmation and got to her feet. They walked around the corner to a vending machine where Damian grabbed himself some milk and got some juice for Gagana. When Gagana saw the milk she gave him a condescending look.

"Hey I can drink my milk if I want to."

"With you warm sweet porridge too?" Gagana asked. Damian shrugged.

"I'll eat what I'll eat. I'm basically an adult now so no one can tell me what to do." He replied with what little enthusiasm he could to defend himself.

"You're a big old softy," Gagana said with a little uncharacteristic giggle, "aren't bears supposed to be scary and carnivorous for that. Not softies like you who eat puddings and drink milk all day."

"I mean I am still a baby bear I guess. But hey if you give me a good stake I won't turn it down." He replied. Gagana giggled again.

"Baby, adult. You're not quite sure are you?"

"Well I use whatever one benefits me most at the time." He replied now giggling as well. Gagana turned to Damian with a more serious expression.

"Seriously though stop drinking milk, we don't need you getting any taller then you already are." She said rather monotone. Damian nearly chocked on his milk as he laughed.

"See milk is dangerous." Gagana added. Damian had to try hard not to choke again as he continued laughing. He slowly regained his composure.

"Gagana don't take this the wrong way but you seem really, I'm not sure, friendly. No I don't think that's right." Damian mumbled. She nodded.

"No your right, I just feel very at ease right now. Probably because you're not scary."

"Was I scary before?" Damian asked. Gagana took a long sip of juice before answering.

"Heck yes. No offence Damian but when I first saw you, you were in a fight with two other students blowing up the front door to the academy. Then I found out I was going to get put on a team with you delinquents. There's also the fact that your like, what, three maybe four times my size."

"You're not that small." Damian said butting in.

"Damian I'm one-sixty with a thin frame you on the other hand are like two meters tall, half that broad and built like, unsurprisingly, a bear compared to that I am tiny."

"You make a valid point."

"I'm literally closer to Fenrir in size." She said exasperatedly. Damian squinted at her.

"Damn you may be right." He laughed. "Well what about the other members of our motley crew."

"You mean Hot-head dumb and Hot-head dumber. Those two are so quick to fight its ridicules. At least they aren't dragging you into it because they'd lose."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Damian said smiling.

"Specifically Ryu with his superiority complex. Is he condensed teenage angst? I swear you couldn't find a more unreasonable person in this entire country." Gagana said animatedly waving her hands around. Damian started to laugh.

"What's funny?" Gagana asked.

"Well maybe not funny, but it's nice to see you opening up."

"Sup nerds!" Nathan said as he walked around the corner to join them.

"What are you doing up already?" Gagana asked.

"Oh I got bored so I snuck out." Nathan said with a devious giggle.

"Well good on you." Damian said.

"Shouldn't you be encouraging him to rest up in bed." Gagana said, back to her normal tone.

"He looks fine to me." Damian replied.

"Damian I've been meaning to ask you about that final challenge that Professor Emrys put us through-." Nathan said before Damian put his hand out and silenced him.

"Please don't make me think about that again." Damian said wearily.

"You guys did look pretty shaken up by that whole ordeal," Gagana said, "I'm glad I pulled out when I did." Nathan sniggered.

"Pulled out!"

"That was some low hanging fruit Nathan, low hanging fruit." Damian said sounding very disappointed.

"Pulling out? What are you two talking about." Gagana asked looking a bit agitated.

"You must have been a sheltered child, I'm sure of it now." Nathan said once he got over himself.

"Let's keep it that way." Damian said bluntly.

"Do you guys think I'm some sort of child." Gagana said her temper rising.

"No no no, that's not it." Damian said now looking a bit lost on what to say.

"Let me explain." Nathan began.

"O brother." Damian said planting his palm into his face.

"When a guy pulls out." He said with air quotes, "it's a term for him taking his man meat," Nathan said slapping his hands on his pelvic around his junk, "and removing it from a girl's baby hole!" He finished by pointing towards Gagana's skirt.

"Why would you shout about that in public!" Gagana retorted even louder than Nathan had been talking.

"I mean some people do it in public." Nathan said now clearly egging Gagana on and thoroughly enjoying it.

"Nathan you lewd jerk. Shut up!" She shouted.

"What am I being lewd about I haven't said anything of the sort, you merely interpreted it that way so aren't you the lewd one!" Nathan said point to Gagana. She swung a punch Nathan's way but Nathan activate is semblance making his skin as hard as stone.

Gagana let out a cry of pain and rubbed her hand gingerly.

"Nathan stop antagonising the poor girl." Damian said stepping between the two. He then turned to Gagana.

"Are you okay?" He could clearly see was on the verge of tears.

"What do you think." She snapped.

"Same old Gagana," He laughed, "now how about we go see Ryu and see if he's awake."

"He's gone." Nathan said bluntly

"Oh I wonder where he's gon-… HE'S GONE!" Damian exclaimed. "Why did it not occur to you to tell me this sooner. He said griping Nathan by the collar.

"Chill dude what's the worst that could happen?" Nathan said helplessly.

"Oh I don't know, picking another fight!" Damian shouted in Nathan's ear.

"Guys…" Gagana said to gain their attention, then she placed her scroll to Damian's ear, or as close as she could.

"Hey what's up, why didn't you call?" Ryu said through a mouth fool of something.

"Oh my god Ryu why'd you have to eat her!" Damian shouted startling everyone involved. Ryu swallowed then continued.

"I don't know what you're on about, I'm simply enjoying a lovely bowl of chicken nuggets, can you please not scream down the line at me."

He then hung up.

"He hung up on me." Damian said sounding almost upset.

"You we're ranting at him like a crazy person." Nathan said confidently now both his feet were on the floor once again.

"Well let's go join him in the cafeteria and smooth this all over." Gagana suggested.

"Yea good idea." Damian said as he started to walk to the stairs. Within five minutes they arrived at the cafeteria, which looked exactly like it did before the fight, clean and sleek. Ryu was sat by himself at the end of a table devouring what looked like a small mountain of food.

"Surprised to see you here." Damian said, taking a seat across from him. Ryu chewed, swallowed then said.

"Well you didn't expect me to stay in that room did you?"

"Well I mean I kinda thought you were out cold."

"I was, but now I'm up and I was starving so I went to grab some food. Which I am now eating."

"I can see that." Damian said eyeing up some of Ryu's fries and realising how hungry he was.

"Am I in trouble?" Ryu asked looking perplexed.

"I'm surprised you're not getting in more trouble to be honest."

"Well I've settled all my differences with Miss Merrigan, she was right."

"You are taking this… Very well." Damian said leaning in and squinting at Ryu.

"That's just how I deal with things. I fight. Fighting is how warriors speak to each other." Ryu said then returned to his food.

"I don't get it. But as long as you're not jumping at people again I guess it's a non-issue."

"Ryu," Nathan said as he arrived back with a bowl of cereal.

"Why are you eating cereal it's like three in the afternoon." Damian said cutting him off.

"Bitch I eat what I want, and I lost my breakfast so I'm getting it back!" Nathan said point his spoon at Damian.

"Anyway. Ryu is this your family a sensitive issue?" He asked.

"Depends if your calling my mum a village whore or not." He replied not taking his attention away from his food.

"Let's assume I'm not a dick and I'm just curious?" Nathan said

"Well me and my mum run an inn out in Fireside, we served food, shelter and entertainment to the passes by and towns people."

"What is it called?" Nathan asked.

"The Red Hut." Ryu said then continued as he saw Nathan's confused face. "All the huts in the town are brown, well wood coloured, and as a sign of rebellion to the quiet town my mum painted the whole thing red."

"She sounds like a ballsy person. I see where you get it." Nathan sniggered.

"Well she was the towns huntress until she settled down and had me." Ryu said.

"What about your dad?" Damian asked.

"I didn't have one." He replied.

"Ryu I don't think you know how babies work." Nathan said somewhere between seriousness and a joke.

"Okay correction, I never knew him, I heard from the towns people that he ran away from my mum, and she never spoke of him so it's not really an issue to me."

"Out of curiosity whose parents where hunters or huntresses?" Damian asked.

"Well I just told you." Ryu said.

"Literally every person in my family," Nathan said, as he counted them on his fingers, "Mum, Dad, Uncle, Aunt, two other uncles, my grandfather, oh and at least two of my cousins."

"Damn." Damian said.

"My Aunty, mum's sister, and her daughter are and they taught me my basics in combat as there was no combat school near where we lived." Gagana said.

"Cool, well nether of mine are but ever since I was saved as a kid it's all I've wanted to be." Damian said answering his own question. Damian felt a shiver run down his spin and he whipped round to see scarlet.

"Sup lightning rod, how ya doing?" Damian let out a quick uncharacteristic scream.

"Are you going to shock me again." He said raising his arms to protect himself.

"I don't think you should." Mary said. Damian gave a sigh of relief.

"It looks like he may have started to enjoying it." She added maliciously.

"Damian I didn't figure you for a masochist." Scarlet said dragging her finger across the top of Damian's ears. He violently shivered and leapt across the table.

"I still haven't recovered from the shock you gave me last time."

"Nah that was Mr Emrys, he made the lightning, I just gave it a little nudge." She said fanning innocence.

"Of course you did." Damian said eyes bared but still hiding behind Ryu and Nathan.

"What did I miss?" Ryu asked.

"Oh after you had been carted off we had to do the endurance exam." Mary said.

"Sounds easy enough." Ryu said in is normal confident manor.

"Nah that was fucked up!" Nathan said shivering at the thought of it.

"That bad?" Ryu asked.

"Well the first couple rounds where fine, ice, fire, lightning, intense gravity but the last," Nathan shuddered, "it was like fear itself." Damian patted him on the back.

"Don't lose your food again."

"Couldn't a test like that cause Grimm to be drawn to the city?" Ryu asked.

"That's a good point actually. Makes it seem even more fucked up." Timothy said.

"Timothy you didn't even participate in the last round." Nathan said.

"Exactly. We didn't but we still saw what happened to you lot. Was super fucked up." He said reaffirming his point.

"Specifics aside there probably wasn't enough of you to make a major impact on the number of Grimm around the city." Mary said.

"You'd need a large number of people, probably in the thousands considering the size of Atlas." Richard said plainly.

"Oh yea you guys are studying the way Grimm respond to emotions aren't you." Damian said.

"Yea it's kinda interesting but not terribly surprising." Mary said sounding bored.

"You guys hyped for the fight tomorrow?" Timothy asked, changing the subject.

"Not currently." Nathan said patting his stomach.

"Come on you can't drop out, we got to show the folks of Atlas why they should trust and believe in us! It's as much a chance for us to show off as it is a spectacle for them!" Scarlet said vigorously.

"Man you're like a living propaganda piece aren't ya." Ryu said in his standard snarky tone.

"Ain't you got _any_ pride?" Scarlet said scolding him.

"If by pride you mean desire to be a puppet then no." he said coolly.

"Interesting fact about Ryu Lu number eight seven! He hates not being top dog." Nathan said jeering at him.

"I'm surprised that didn't come up sooner." Mary chuckled.

"We should get going actually," Scarlet said to her team, "We were just passing by and we haven't even got any food yet." With that STRM walked off.

"You guys wanna go for a walk?" Ryu asked taking everyone by surprise.

" _Sure_." Nathan replied cautiously.

"I just think that we've spent a lot of time cooped up in this building." Ryu said defensively.

"No I get you." Nathan said equally so.

"Do you guys want to walk around the city?" Damian asked.

"Yea sounds good but we should probably get changed out of these uniforms." Nathan said tugging at his collar. The others nodded in agreement.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Damian sat on the tram looking out of the window onto the afternoon sky. it was bright and orange and somewhat glaring. It had taken a little longer than planned to get out of the academy as Nathan spent a while complaining about his lack of casual wear. Damian preferred his simple red hoodie, t-shit and cargo pants to the tight fit and somewhat bland uniform they had to wear. Damian blinked and turned to the rest of his team, the sun finally becoming too much for him to bear. Ryu wore a similar get up to himself, a plan green hoodie a white shirt except he wore tight fitting trousers. Nathan on the other hand was wearing jeans and flannel shirt. Lastly Gagana was wearing her normal purple and red hooded body warmer to round off the colourful, yet completely uncoordinated, set they had going.

"Next stop is Ever Green Gardens; this tram will terminate at Ever Green Gardens. Please mind the gap when leaving the tram." The disembodied voice said robotically before the tram came to a stop. The four students walked out and onto an alien looking garden, it had a rainbow of trees at the entrance, each bearing different shaped fruit. In the distance there were dozens large domes made of glass. There was a flat stone path leading away from the tram stop. As he stepped on the first stone it stated to glow faintly yellow.

"Ooo. Fancy!" Nathan said following in Damian's wake. After a short walk they arrived at a lake front with a few benches. The team sat down and took in the view.

"I'm really surprised there is this much flora in a city like this." Gagana said absentmindedly.

"Yeah it's so green!" Nathan exclaimed, he flicked his arms out to reinforce his point. Damian felt a gust of cold air, _it would seem that all this greenery could not hide how far north they still where_ , he thought. He noticed there was a vender of by the side of the path next to a small lamp. He walked over leaving his team were they sat.

"Back in a minute." He said back to them. The vender did look a little out of place but it was minimalist, Damian couldn't decide whether or not he liked it, but what he did like the look of was the chocolate bread buns and warm milk it had on display. He inserted ten Lien and input his order. The machine quietly chugged away as it processed his order.

"Hey Damian fancy seeing you here." A voice called. He turned as was surprised to see Yuki. Damian decided not to think too much about what exactly Yuki meant by seeing him and instead said,

"Hi Yuki, what brings you out."

"Probably the same reason you and your team are out, I don't really like being cooped up in my room all day. Well I swear we spend more time training but that's another story."

"Yea today was quite a struggle." Damian replied exhausted.

"Well in also here to see Ebony Triton." He said trying not to sound to make a deal out of it.

"The guy who saved you from Bianca?" Damian asked.

"Yea I heard from Ross and Ulrik that I'd be able to meet him here."

"He's also with that faunus Protect Society right?" Damian asked as he remembered something about the card he had revived from Ross.

"Oh so you know about them too?" Yuki asked.

"Yea Ross invited me on Ulrik's behalf. He replied.

"Well maybe you could drop by latter?"

"Might do but no promises." Damian said as he gathered all his snacked. He returned to his team to find Gagana looking quite uncomfortable with Ryu and Nathan leaning on her snoring. Damian stifled a laugh.

"Want a hand?" He asked. She nodded enthusiastically. Damian picked up Ryu in a fireman hold and placed him on the floor, under the bench then propped up Nathan so Gagana could get out before laying him on the bench. He then picked up one of the foil boxes of food and passed it to Gagana. The two of them sat on the grass and opened their food. When they opened the boxes a puff of steam escaped which caught them both by surprise.

"I guess these will stay warm for whenever Ryu and Nathan walk up." Gagana said taking a bite from her roll.

"So wha-," she covered her mouth with her hand and swallowed, "So what did Yuki want?" She asked.

"Oh he was just saying hi while he was passing through." Damian said taking a sip of his drink.

-clink-

Damian turned round just in time to see a baseball fly his way. Ulrik then jumped over a hedge and ran towards him. Without a word, Damian picked up the ball and tosses it to Ulrik who jumped and grabbed it then immediately bounded back over the hedge from where he came.

"I guess that means all of them." Damian said to no one in particular.

"All of who?" Gagana asked.

"The faunus protection society." He said simply. Gagana gave a look suggesting she wanted some more information. Damian shrugged.

"I really don't know, I assume it's something within the realm of people, probably faunus. In a society where they attempt to protect other faunus."

"You want to check it out?" Gagana asked.

"Might do latter." He said lying on the grass.

-clink-

"Ouch!" Damian shouted as he got hit by a baseball. Ross hopped over the edge and bound towards him.

"You guys are not very good at catching are you." Damian said, rubbing his head.

"Or our batter has a really good arm?" Ross replied, "sorry about that." He added.

"What's taking so long Ross!" Cheshire said as she appeared next to them. Gagana jumped out of surprise, having never seen her ability to phase from place to place.

"When did Ross and Chesh get here?" Nathan asked as he sat up, awoken by the noise.

"Who, Ouch, what's going on!" Ryu said as he also got up and smacked his head off the bottom of the bench.

"Oh hi Ryu what are you doing down there?" Nathan asked?

"I have no idea!" He said as he shuffled out from under the bench. Ulrik, Amber, Yuki and Ebony then walked round the hedge to join the ruckus. Ulrik and Ebony waved, Amber scampered over to Ross's side and Yuki tried to make it look like he was simply passing by.

"Ahh." Nathan said now fanning shock, "Where did all these people come from?"

"Hello DRGN, I see you're also enjoying the gardens." Ebony said in a surprisingly light and cheerful voice, considering his shape and stature.

"Who are you?" Nathan asked.

"Oh sorry, I'm Ebony Triton, chairman of the faunus Protection Society, too meet you …" Ebony said politely.

"It's Nathan." Nathan replied.

"So what's with all the base balls?" Damian asked.

"We were playing bass ball." Ulrik said bluntly. Damian squinted at Ulrik, he was very bad at reading him and couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not.

"Yeah we had just finished a meeting and decided to have some fun." Ebony clarified.

"You guys should play!" Cheshire said then gave a toothy grin.

"I'm surprised you'd want to play with humans." Nathan said abruptly. Damian moaned, _here we go again_ he thought. Ebony stepped in quickly.

"Some organisations do end up like that, but, I feel like if you help anyone subset to the point in which they are above another you're really just wasting your time. Because before long the ones lower down will want the same. So when I strive for equality of the races I mean it in THE most literal sense of the word, in poverty or riches where ever we end up." Nathan got up and walked over to Ebony.

"You know what. You may be the first activist I actually didn't think was a bit off their nut." He said extending his hand out. Ebony smiled.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Sorry but I'll have to pass." Ryu said with a yawn.

"Yea same here." Gagana said rubbing her eye.

"Maybe we should get an early night? We have a lot to do tomorrow." Damian said to his team. They nodded in agreement.

"Sorry Ebony maybe another time." He said apologetically.

"No problem." He said then turned to the other first years.

"You lot should probably tag along with them." He added.

"What about you?" Yuki asked.

"Oh I live of site with the rest of my team." He said and got confused looked from all his underclassmen.

"Okay I'll explain it quickly. Myrtle, my team's tactician but not leader, decided that we should put some of the lien we earn from missions into a fund to buy a flat off site."

"Why would you want that?" Nathan asked.

"It's bigger, it's cosier and we can make it whatever colour we want. We also get our own rooms, which is one of the things Myrtle was pushing for, and I can guaranty after a year shearing the same room you lot will want the same." He finished with a hearty laugh. With that the first years headed back to grab a tram. The trams were only big enough to hold six people so after a quick round of Rock Paper Scissors; Damian, Ryu, Nathan, Gagana and Yuki entered the first tram and waved goodbye to URCA. After the tram had departed Nathan asked.

"Do you think we'll still be sharing a room next year?"

"God I hope not!" Ryu blurted uncharacteristically. He coughed, "I mean I hope we could get some better accommodation."

"Is this about the bunk bed?" Nathan asked.

"No it's not about the bunk bed." He replied.

"Are you sure?"

"Well maybe a little."

"Ah ha! No we see where you stand. Damian are you pro bunk?"

"I'd say I'm pretty bunk neutral."

"What about you Gagana? How do you feel about this bunk discrimination?" Nathan asked.

"I don't exactly use it, but it is kind of an eye sore."

"Aren't you the reason he has to build it?" Ryu sneered.

"There needs to be a divide between boys and girls of our age it's only natural." She said defensively. Nathan turned to Yuki.

"What's your thoughts to this bunk or no bunk debate?" He asked using his scroll like a microphone. Yuki pulled off his headphones.

"Sorry what?" He asked. Nathan pulled up a picture of their dorm with the dividing curtain and the triangular bunk bed. Yuki sat they're silently looking intently at the floor. After a good few seconds of silence it occurred to Nathan what was wrong and he looked like he had just stepped on a land mine.

"Oh I'm really sorry." He flustered, "your normally pretty good at, you know _seeing_ , that I forget your blind. Actually if you don't mind me asking, how do you _see_?"

"No it's fine I inflict it upon myself. I don't see the way you do, I see via vibrations in the ground and sounds in the air. It gives me a fully three dimensional of everything around me up to a couple meters. I do have problems distinguishing details such as facial features though." He added sounding almost upset with himself.

"Wait how did you recognise me earlier?" Damian asked. Yuki didn't speak but just tapped the end of his nose. "You should try using more of your faunus senses Damian they can really help."

"Doesn't using faunus senses diminish your human like senses?" Ryu asked.

"To an extent, faunus who excessively use their sense of smell have problems with intense food and people passing wind in their presence." Yuki said.

"Yeah and faunus who use their nigh sight all the time can lose their colour vision." Damian added.

"Nathan you were asking about my sight and I'd like to try something." Yuki said somewhat abruptly.

"Sure go ahead, I'll help in any way I can." He replied. Yuki stood up and walked in front of him then squatted so third faces where level. He then started making clicking sounds as he wiggled his ears intently. After a couple seconds he stood back and Nathan gave a perplexed expression.

"I now have a more detailed picture of your face," Yuki said mater-a-factly, "that or I just spent the last twenty seconds clicking at you for no good reason, you can decide."

"Do I look good?" Nathan asked taking Yuki by surprise.

"Yea you look great." he said with a laugh.

"Oh back to what we were saying about the bunk bed." Nathan said abruptly. "it is entirely Gagana's fault as Ryu said, it's not like we could fit them all side by side."

"Well you could actually." Gagana said, growing tired of being accused.

"I disagree." Damian said.

"Strongly disagree." Ryu added, backing him up.

"How so." Gagana asked.

"Well for a start if all three are clumped together it would hardly count as personal space and what if we need to go to the toilet. Nobody wants to crawl to the bottom of their bed when they can just hop out the side." Nathan said.

"You guys know this is a really petty thing to argy about." Gagana said defensively. Ryu stood up and pointed at her.

"Says the person who benefits most form the system!" he barked angrily. Yuki started to laugh.

"You guys seem pretty close."

"How'd you figure?" Nathan asked.

"Well you all talk together about stupid pointless things but your all clearly enjoying your selves." He sighed, "unlike BLYD. We don't exactly talk much."

"Isn't that just because you and Maya are the only ones who do talk?"

"True, that is the case but Maya is so out of it most of the time."

"huh the more you know, I always thought we had a kinda shitty dynamic, no offense guys." Damian said aloud.

"Nah I know what you mean." Nathan replied.

"Yea same." Ryu added.

"See your even agreed with how shit you are at getting along, which is somehow better communication that what my team has." Yuki said angry. "I'm gonna let you guys in on something, my team kind of like yours was picked and assembled before we even did a test. We are not friends we are just similar anomalies that have been put together for testing purposes." DRGN looked on in shock.

"Am I gonna be hunted down for knowing this?" Nathan asked cautiously.

"Nah I haven't told you anything that couldn't be worked out by looking at my team's bios." Yuki replied.

"Next stop is Atlas Academy; this tram will terminate at Atlas Academy. Please mind the gap when leaving the tram."

"Oh where back already." Gagana said sounding a little surprised.

"So it would seem." Yuki said as he got up. "have a good night." He called back as he walked off.

"Come on guys, we have to get up early for tomorrows event." Damian said as he got up and headed back to his room with his team.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Damian awoke in a cold sweat, he felt like he was going to vomit. He rushed to the sink and rinsed out his mouth and let cold water run over his head. Now that he was awake and alert he was unsure as to what actually gave him such a start. He looked around, the room was pitch black with only a faint ray of moonlight coming in through the window. He took his scroll out of his pocket, it was five am. Every second he put into trying to remember what he saw seemed to make him remember less and forget more of what was already there. He looked out, back to the room, rather than into his mind and got a shock when he saw Ryu sitting bolt upright. He held in a gasp.

"Ryu? What are you doing?" He whispered loudly.

"I should be asking you that," Ryu replied, "you're the one making all the noise."

"Oh sorry about that."

"That doesn't answer my question but okay."

"Look in just gonna go out for a walk."

"Whatever you say." Ryu said before flopping back into bed. Damian pulled his hoodie over his bare chest and kicked on his slippers, even though he didn't expect to bump into anyone he still didn't like the notion of walking around in just his pyjama bottoms. He opened the door and it slid in silently as always and closed in the same way. He walked down the corridor until he reached the common room. As he approached the door he heard voices. He tapped on the door before entering. Inside he found Scarlet and Maya huddled around the artificial fire place on a sofa.

"Can't sleep?" Damian asked casual as he entered the room.

"No, not exactly." Scarlet replied. As Damian walked over Scarlet patted the space next to her. It was odd seeing Scarlet without her hat, Damian though as he gave her a quick glance. She was wearing a simple set of pink pyjamas with short sleeves and legs. Maya on the other hand was wearing what looked to be a blue onesie with a fur lining and details, Damian thought it looked very comfy.

"So what brings you here?" Maya asked airily.

"Had a bad dream I think."

"You think?" Scarlet asked.

"Well I woke up feeling awful and upset but the more I tried to remember the less I could remember. You know?" Damian said and realised how silly he sounded the longer he spoke.

"Interesting." Maya responded, "We are here because Scarlet was sleep walking and crashed into me as I was leaving for a morning jog."

"A morning jog. At five am?" Damian said now realising the world was full of different crazy people.

"Yes I find a little jog helps wake me up and get my blood pumping."

"Well yes I imagine it would." Damian said lost for anything else to say turned to Scarlet.

"Do you sleep walk a lot?"

"It happens from time to time, usually I make it back to bed and nobody, myself included notices but other times I wake up in these odd predicaments." She replied then took a sip of her drink. Damian made a non-committal noise of acceptance. After a short pause Scarlet spoke again.

"Maybe its nerves?"

"What now?" Damian asked, he had been staring off into the distance and had zoned out of the conversation.

"The reason you and I couldn't sleep. We're clearly nervous about the tournament, maybe got a little stage fright." Damian hadn't put much thought into the tournament since the last time it was brought up but he decided to humour Scarlet who clearly was nervous but probably didn't want to strait up saying it.

"Yeah that's probably it, even at the training academy we only trained in front of our class at maximum so the whole of Atlas City is quite a jump." Scarlet gave a sigh of relief,

"I'm glad we're all thinking the same thing." The two then turned to Maya.

"I'm not perfectly happy ether." She as they looked at her.

"I feel like that's as close to a reaction as you're gonna get Scarlet." Damian said to her.

"I'm not quite emotionless." Maya said with a hint of defiance. "It's my semblance, it makes me unable to act, I'm sure I told you that."

"Oh I assumed that meant physically." Scarlet said sounding enthralled. Maya started to count on her fingers.

"If someone were to attack me, I couldn't defend myself by, say tripping them or blocking them as I would be interfering with them, but I could dodge them. Same applies to emotional and non-physical encounters. If someone makes a point, I can't openly disprove it or counter it but I can go around it."

"That sure is an inhibiting power you have there; does it have any upsides?" Scarlet asked. Maya let out a little laugh.

"You could say that."

"Should I be scared?" Damian asked.

"As long as you remain a person of good heart and soul we will never cross paths."

"That doesn't put me at ease but okay reaper girl." Maya looked down to her scroll.

"I really should be going, thank you for your company." She said as she got up and headed off.

"Maybe Yuki was right." Damian said once Maya had left.

"What'd he say?"

"That they are all crazy." He said with a hollow laugh.

"That's a bit rude."

"It's okay I'm just paraphrasing, there was more to it." The two of them sat there talking for a while until.

"Scarlet and Damian sitting on a seat, why does it smell like someone's in heat! First comes Lust then comes-."

"Mary are you quite done!" scarlet shouted at Mary who had just entered the room and started singing.

"How long where you sitting around the door way to come up with that?" Damian asked.

"Longer then I'd like to admit, I'm actually glad you cut me off because I wasn't sure where I was gonna go after that." She said with a large grin.

"I'm glad I could help." Scarlet said with a scowl. "Why are you even up?"

"Why are _you_ up?" Mary asked mimicking Scarlet.

"I can be up at any time, doing whatever I wish." Scarlet replied.

"So can I." Mary replied. "Anyhow, how's you Damian."

"Oh you know just couldn't sleep." Damian replied trying to bring the conversation down a decibel or ten.

"So how long have you too been snuggled up in here?" Mary asked.

"That depends what time it is?"

"It's half seven, we should go get the others."

"Oh, okay."

"I'll take that as you've been here a while." She replied.

"Yea I guess." Damian said, then he got up and headed for his dorm. When he entered he found that his team was unsurprisingly still asleep.

"Hey guys, come on we need to think about getting up." Gagana and Nathan made grumbling noises and Ryu bolted up unnaturally again. Within twenty minutes they were all in their combat gear, opposed to their uniforms, and walking down to the main show arena which was located off site. As they walked outside they were confronted by Lafayette who funnelled them into a transport ship. Inside they sat as more and more students joined them and secured themselves for take-off. Once all the students were on board, Gwynn walked up the ramp and closed the door behind him, causing the loud drown of the engines to be muffled.

"Good morning students, I hope your all bright eyed and bushy tailed." He said to the students, most looked like they could have used another hour's sleep.

"Today you are here to show the people of atlas why you are now a part of this prestigious academy, what you will face today will be nothing you can't handle so have fun and enjoy yourself." He said with a shift in tone - militant to care free -.

A voice then crackled from the speakers.

"Grey one, we are ready for take-off, I repeat grey one is ready for take-off."

"This is grey leader," a familiar voice boomed, "All transport ships are good to go, ETA two minutes." With that Gwynn took his seat next to the students as the ship prepared for take-off. The flight was quick and smooth. Damian barely had time to think before the rear entrance of the ship opened again to a new sight. The students walked out and where told to stand formally in a line. Damian peered around. They stadium sure looked the part with its two tiers of seating and its large holographic displays, _not as impressive as the Vital tournament stadium though_ , he thought. He also noticed that the stadium was completely empty. He guessed that the public weren't allowed in yet as he could hear the low rumble of thousands of voices nearby.

Damian looked around to his fellow first years. First his own team where Nathan and Gagana still looked tired though Ryu looked pretty content. Scarlet seemed to be fidgeting nervously, in contrast Maya stood their arms folded behind her back making this look very routine. Ulrik and Cheshire sighed boredom plastered across their faces. BRRO were doing some stretches and BLNC were having a heated whisper based argument. Really nothing had changed.

"Hey kidos!" A voice called out breaking the relative silence. They all turned to seem Marcus Flint, a news anchor for the Atlas Agenda, the local network. He was a short man who made up for his stature with a loud booming voice. The kidos murmured a joint hello. The jovial man walked from one end of the line of them to the other shacking each students hand.

"Boy am I glad to see so many new faces this year. It seems like we have a large turnout compared to last year!" He said with a laugh.

"I guess it just means that most of last year's contenders must have sucked." Ryu said as he was shacking Marcos's hand.

"Yea they really must have!" He replied taking Ryu a little by surprise. He moved along to Damian, who towered over him.

"Well I see someone drank all the milk!"

"Yeah, sure" Damian said forcing a smile as large as Marcus's. He continued his banter as he walked down the line, until he looped back around the centre of the group.

"Now folks, I'd just like to inform you there has been a last minute change to the roster, I'd like to introduce you one of our military teams who will also be participating in today's events!"

With that a team of three soldiers walked forward from on of the stadiums gates, two in blue and one in red who was leading the way. The red marine took off his helmet, and introduced himself, he looked like a someone had attached a child's head to an adults' body.

"Hello I'm Sargent Pine, nice to meet you. These two are Nick and Cerulean." He said pointing to his left and right, "We'll be representing the military side of atlas, we aren't as flashy as you hunters and huntress so we only get one team." He said sounding a little disheartened.

"Great now that introductions are out of the way we can proceed with the events!" Marcus said before he walked off.

"Is your team really only the tree of you?" Damian asked after he left.

"Nah it's not, normally we function in a group of seven, the other four will arrive later actually." Pine replied.

"Is that really al you use?" Ryu asked pointing to his rifle he had by his side.

"It's not _that_ bad. It kills Grimm. Some of us do carry custom melee weapons for when it gets a bit close." He replied. The sounds of voices grew louder as people started to funnel into the stadium. Damian was now feeling a little nervous as he saw all these people looking down to him. Within a few minutes the stadium was packed to the brim, _every person in Atlas must be here._ Screens lit up on each side of the stadium showing a quick advert before the camera switched to Ironwood and Marcus who were sat at a desk overlooking the arena.

"G'd morning ladies and gents! T'day we'll be showing off the spectacle that is Atlas's newest, hunters and guardians in training. I hope you can give them all a big round o' applause just for showing up!" Marcus said bombastically into his microphone, stirring up the crowd into a frenzy of cheering and clapping.

"Thank you for the introductions Marcus." Ironwood said in an unusually jovially manor.

"Yes I am proud to see how this year's crop of initiates has proven themselves! From the academy we have no less than twenty-four new huntsmen and huntresses, and from the military core we have taken over fifty eager civilians into the armed forces, guardian program. Our top team of guardians will be representing their entire unit so they better preform!" The three soldiers all bowed low then resumed their alert stance.

"So no pressure guys!" Marcus said with a hearty laugh.

"Shall we start with the first event?" Marcus asked the crowed who cheered in response.

"'Kay can all of you head off to the sides until we call out who will be first." The students and soldiers walked to the side-lines and looked up to the screens which were now showing an animated lottery slot. There were thirty odd multi coloured balls all flying around their cage. Each to Damian's amusement had a cartoonish picture of one of the stunners faces on one side and their symbol on the other. Damian turned to see Nathan laughing at Ryu. "Look at Nathan's ball. He said turning to his leader. Damian concentrated closely and finally spotted the dark green ball. He stopped himself from laughing at the sight of the balls interpretation of Ryu, it had his hair drooped over his face and wore a pout that would normally be seen on an angry child. One of the balls eventually smashed out of the cage with a display of practical effects. The red ball rolled until it consumed the whole screen and spun round to revival Damian's smug face.

"Damian you'll be today's first contestant I hope your prepared to set a record!"

"No pressure." Damian said as he walked to the centre of the arena, causing the crowd to laugh. As he did Marcus stated to interview Ironwood.

"So what sort of student is he?"

"Oh Damian, he's the sort of student who uses their head and doesn't get into trouble." He replied quickly.

Well that's a fat lie, Damian thought. Then it hit him that it may have been a warning. He whipped around and looked up to the commentator's box and managed to make eye contact with Ironwood. The look he received assured his suspicions.

"So I see he's a leader of his own team… DRGN, I assume you think he is deserving of this title?" Marcus asked, continuing his interview.

"It's his _Indignity_ and _character_ that set him apart." Ironwood said. The words hit Damian like spears of malice. Clearly Ironwood was trying to tell him something. Damian stood in the centre of the arena, Fenrir armed and loaded, he was ready to go.

"And let's go! Let's see how many bots you can take down in your time limit!" Marcus shouted. The crowd exploded with anticipation. A ring of robots emerged from the ground and charged Damian. He took a breath looked Ironwood in the eye and pointed his weapon at his feet as the swarm of robots engaged him. Ironwood's eyes rolled and he got up to grab a drink and not watch Damian embarrassing himself.

-kaboom-

Damian propelled himself into the air taking out twenty robots as he did. Still airborne he launched a salvo of fire and shrapnel to the ground, decimating the robots' ranks. As he landed punched one of the robots into the ground, it's legs flailed in the air as its head meet the floor. It occurred to Damian that these robots were barely fighting fit, they were merely made to put on a show and put on a show he would. He grabbed the end of his weapon and batted away the robots closest to him. He quickly holstered his weapon on his back and braces himself for a wave of robots. They piled on top of him forming a dome.

"Is that it for Damian?!" Marcus cried out, causing shock in the crowd. _Don't even think about it_. Damian thought before letting out a tremendous roar which dissipated the surrounding robots. The crowd Oohed and exclaimed at the sight of his glowing red form. He bared his claws and cleaved through wave after wave unit a siren sounded, ending Damian's time.

"Well if that wasn't a great way to start the event I don't know what is!" Marcus exclaimed. "Now let's look at the results." The screens now showed an empty graph. Damian's ball rolled onto it then rose up until it hit a point and the number four hundred and thirty-six flashes above it. The Damian on the ball put on a massive grin, clearly impressed with his three dimensional self.

"That will be hard to beat, not impossible." Marcus added, "for those who don't know the creator and master of this style of event is Miss Lafayette Meragin, a teacher at Atlas academy who holds the record at six hundred kills in three minutes or over three kills a second for those who are math inclined." Damian walked to the side lines with cheers from the crowd.

"So guys. How was I?" Damian asked pretending to be a lot vainer then he actually was.

"No matter how many times I see it. Your semblance always looks cool." Brett replied.

"I guess that is what separates the hunters from the guardians." Pine said sounding somewhat depressed. Damian walked over to pine and punched him lightly on the chest.

"We may be flashy but we won't always be here for these people the moment they need them, that's your job and that is a very respectable job indeed."

"Preach it!" Nathan chorused behind him.

"For a hunter with all your flashy aura and semblance, you're actually a cool guy. I'd be happy to support you out on the field." Pine replied. Punching him back.

"Since red was such a good start how about we have some more! Next up will be Scarlet Sky, Crimson Heartfilia and Ross Undergrove." Scarlet walked to the centre of the arena while Ross and Crimson milled about near the edge. Scarlet unholstered her pistols, clipped in some fresh magazines and pulled back the slides. She then pulled out a fresh lollipop and began to suck on it, the whole event clearly getting to her.

"So Anything you can tell us about this beauty?"

"Miss Sky is a fine student who follows the rules and has a smile that warms hearts."

"Didn't know you could judge things like that."

"What?"

"Let's begin the match, Scarlet your time starts now!" Scarlet didn't hesitate for a second, immediately unloading both her weapons as she spun round scoring head shots on everything running her way. Damian noticed he was fixated on scarlet, every move she made was elegant yet calculated, each shot had a purpose. _I wish I could react that fast in combat_ , he thought as he watched her fight. As the robots ran over their fallen comrades she bashed her magazines together. The robots were flung into the air, as the defeated robots exploded. She ejected her magazines, they flew far and exploded on impact, each taking out a dozen robots.

"Is there any part of this girl or her weapons that don't exploded!?" Marcus screamed along with an excitable crowd.

"I think she might be in trouble now, without any ammo." He continued. Damian felt himself tense up in anticipation. Scarlet chucked two fresh magazines into the air and began a melee frenzy. She punched and kicked the robots away as they surrounded her. As she thought she caught her magazines in her pistols and smashed her weapons on two of the robot's heads to lock them in place. Now able to shoot again she mowed through their ranks, this repeated until the siren sounded. She quickly walked away from the centre of attention while everyone's gaze was taken by the score screen.

"Four hundred and fourth eight!" The screen announced as a red ball in a Stetson rose just above Damian's ball on the graph.

"I would have liked to have the high score for at least one round." Damian scoffed to scarlet who had returned to the other participants.

"Oh sorry about that." She blushed and let out a big smile.

"Why so happy?" Mary asked.

"Because I kicked ass!" Scarlet shouted, still on a bit of a buzz high.

"Excuse me Miss Sky and Mr Carmine." The two turned to see a little girl in a standard grey, Atlas uniform holding a bundle of white towels and grey flasks, Damian was surprised that she could actually see where she was going.

"I was told by Mr Flint to give you and the other competitors towels and refreshments."

"Ah thank you." Damian said taking the pile off the assistant.

"Heads up." He said as he passed a towel to scarlet.

"Thanks I needed that." she said as she dried her neck. "Oh it's nice and cool." She added rubbing her face with it. Damian up from his towel to see that Ross had started to fight, he was unsurprisingly fast and agile as he unloaded tens of rounds of, pumping his rifle furiously and when they got close he quickly flipped out the blade of his weapon and sliced through them. Damian downed his water and regretted the fact that he didn't have any food.

"I'm not some ballerina who's working on their figure, I need some protein." He said and turned to Scarlet for some back up. She was in a daze just sucking on her lollipop.

"Remnant to Scarlet." He said trying to coax her back to the real world.

"Oh sorry I zoned out." She said, eyes still a little glazed.

"I see.", seeing nothing productive coming out of her he turned to his team who were watching the fight intently.

The siren screamed signalling the end of the match. "Four hundred and twenty-seven!" Ross walked over to his team, got a big hug from Amber then headed over to sit next to Damian and Scarlet.

"Nice job!" Damian said as he arrived and was handed his items.

"You too." He said with a nod as he sat down.

"So next it's Crimson." Damian said to nobody in particular.

"I don't like her team." Ross said bluntly.

"I don't think anyone does." Scarlet said, now looking more alive.

"They're just a bunch of bullies, racists and psychos." Ross added, sounding like he wanted to retch.

"Don't worry they don't like humans much ether." Scarlet said reassuringly. Crimson's match started and psychotic would easily describe the way she fought. She sprayed bullets in all directions frequently hitting near the other competitors and the crowd, saved only by the shields. In melee she was equally reckless, swinging her ace wildly until she was eventually over run and the three-minute mark.

"How unfortunate," Marcus called out, "only lasted three minutes, and a score of three hundred and seventy." Crimson bumbled of the stage awkwardly, all her manic energy seemed sapped from her body. She sat dejectedly next to her team.

"let's move on shall we." Marcus announced to the crowd. The randomisation process began again. The next person to be picked was Nathan. He dragged himself silently to the centre, his head low and his shoulders slumped.

"Is he okay?" Marcus asked over the speaker. Ryu sprinted over to him and the two of them stated a rapid exchange of words but nobody could hear them. After a quick back and forth Ryu shook Nathan by the shoulders and pointed to his face.

"What ya thank is wrong with him?" Scarlet asked.

"I guess he's still asleep, not much of a morning person." Damian replied. Nathan slapped his cheeks in an effort to wake up and Ryu walked back to the other students.

"Your thoughts?" Marcus asked Ironwood.

"Nathan is a strong boy with great endurance." Ruaridh said as he appeared behind Ironwood. Lafayette, Marian and Gwynn following behind. They took up seats around and behind their boss.

"Nice that you could join us." Marcus said with flick of his hands. He turned back to his microphone and continued to commentate. Nathan drew Thaw Hammer and loaded in two fresh magazines as he prepared for the onslaught. A siren sounded and his match began. Damian tried to take the opportunity to examine how Nathan thought, as he was still unsure of his team's and to an extent his own potential. Nathan seemed to have favoured gravity dust in his shells. As his shotgun ejected a wall of pellets, each would explode in a wave of purple energy knocking the robots back crashing into their ranks. Damian also noticed that as good as Nathan was at crowd control he wasn't actually killing that many. Nathan ejected his magazine pulled a bolt and started to fire again. This time lightning leapt from his barrel. Thaw Hammer's design allowed Nathan to constantly reload even while firing. Damian thought about maybe customising Fenrir to implement a similar feature then sighed at the thought of how big that would make his weapon. Nathan continued fighting, only once or twice did enemies manage to get into melee with him at which point his weapon transformed into a hammer, swung and transformed back before the stunned robots could even notice the wall of ammo had stopped. When he finished he was cheered by the crowd even tho some of them looked a little bored by his controlling approach.

"That was I nice show of control and suppression, good job, three hundred and ninety-seven isn't a score to sniff at ether." Marcus said trying to liven the crowd.

He walked over to Damian, Scarlet & Ross.

"Sup." He said as he sat down a row of seats below Damian and Scarlet.

"Good job." Damian said patting him on the shoulder.

"You did really great." Scarlet added.

"No I didn't," he said waving them off, "I barely even tried."

"Okay." Scarlet said awkwardly.

"I'm not the biggest fan of competing for others." He said then turned and picked up a drink from the girl patiently standing next to her. _He must be telling the truth, he didn't even brake a sweet_ , Damian thought.

"Next up is-." Marcus began. Ryu fired off a shot from his riffle propelling himself high into the air and landing the centre of the arena. He looked back to Damian and Nathan and gave them a thumbs up.

"You can just feel this one's energy! oh it's Ryu Lu fighting now, just in case you were wondering." Ryu took a wide stance and extended his weapon to its maximum size.

"Fight!"

Ryu didn't hesitate for a moment, the instant his opponents entered the ring. He propelled himself with the force of his shots. Transforming his weapon, Zang Jisuh, into a long bladed staff. He spun and cleaved through ranks of robots at a time and with each attack he made he increased in speed. Darting from one edge of the arena to the other. Damian caught a glimpse of his face as he dashed around, his eyes were on fire and he sported a huge grin. Eventually Ryu devolved form dashing to simply becoming a spinning typhoon, eviscerating all that came near. When the siren sounded it took Ryu a while to slow done, he was shaking and bouncing on the spot, clearly excited.

"Well that was an impressive show of skill." Marcus announced. Lafayette pushed in-between him and Ironwood and lent into the microphone.

"Ryu you ain't beat me yet stop looking so cocky!" The speakers then went silent for a moment. Damian and the other contestants looked up to the commentator's box where Lafayette had been removed from the scene by Ruaridh.

"SOoooo, Ryu let's take a look at that score of yours." Marcus said awkwardly. As before Ryu's avatar rolled along to the other competitors and skyrocketed up to Five hundred and seventy-two.

"Quite the score is it not!"

Ryu clenched his fist and cursed quietly before raising his head to see the crowd cheering. He walked over and plopped himself down next to Nathan.

"Ryu that was brilliant!" Scarlet said, beaming at him. He put on a smile then turned stony.

"What's up?" Nathan asked. Ryu didn't respond but gazed off into the distance.

"You can't be serious!" Nathan said, now agitated, "are you seriously surprised that you didn't beat Lafayette?"

"I wouldn't say I'm surprised, but that doesn't stop me being disappointed." He said in his normal composed manor. Damian and Nathan rolled their eyes.

"Competitors we will be having a ten-minute brake so feel free to grab some food or stretch out legs." Marcus said over the speaker.

"Okay guys let's get some food, I'm starving!" Damian announced.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Damian walked down one of the tunnels out of the main arena. Nathan, Ryu, Scarlet and Ross followed along, as they arrived at the stairwell they were met by two soldiers who opened up the door and directed them upstairs. The five of them walked around the food court, Nathan and Ross insisted on doing a once over before they bought anything. They eventually stopped at a soup kitchen that Ross swore had the best vegetable soup in all of Atlas. The restaurant had two small tables left that they were able to cram around. Damian was relieved when his bowl of chowder arrived, he had been hesitant that soup could fill his gut. Ryu drank his rice soup strait from the bowl and was finished within a manner of seconds.

"Hungry?" Nathan asked chomping on some bread. Ryu whipped his mouth with his sleeve and let out an appreciative burp.

"That was some damn fine soup!" The table nodded in agreement.

"How'd you know about this place?" Damian asked.

"I came here with Amber not too long ago to see a concert. she doesn't eat meat ether though I think she just does that to accommodate me." Ross replied.

"So... I don't mean to pry, but are you and that lovely little girl an item?" Scarlet asked. Ross blushed as red as his hair and started to gain an intense appreciation for the floor.

"Don't tease the guy Scarlet, they are clearly a thing right," Nathan said nudging him in the shoulder. His long hare ears drooped down to cover his face.

"What are you blushing about? it's a simple concept." Ryu said

"Ryu some of us have these things call emotions, they can boost and inhibit out decisions." Nathan said sarcastically.

"What are you implying?"

"That you are a robot who can't feel love or joy."

"Well that is just wrong I'm happy all the time."

"Beep Boop I am Ryu, is no working please reboot." Nathan said robotically. Scarlet and Ross laughed and Damian chocked on his soup adding to the hilarity.

"I'll reboot you!" Ryu shouted.

"Okay guys cool it, public place and all, don't make a scene or ironwood will come down on us like a ton of bricks."

"Very true." Scarlet added.

"Can robots feel love or joy?" Ross asked.

"Excuse me?" Nathan replied.

"You know you said Ryu was a robot who could not love or feel joy. Does that mean there are robots who can?"

"I'm gonna need something a lot harder than soup to start answering those sort of questions." Ryu said leaning back in his chair.

"Squee!" The table whipped around to see a short white haired girl running towards them with a tablet in one hand and a camera bobbing from her neck.

"I think I've found me a scoop I have!" She said as she arrived.

"And you are?" Ryu asked, eyebrow raised. She leaned in and whispered to the table

"I'm a girl who may have just struck gold if you are the competitors from today's fight, am I right? Am I?"

"Uhhh yes, yes you are." Ryu said still looking a bit dumb struck.

"Who are you?" Damian asked filling in for Ryu.

"Oh 'ow rude of me, I'm Blush Alva, amateur junior ace journalist. At your aquatints."

"I think my brain just melted trying to process that." Scarlet said rubbing her hand against her forehead.

"How can you be three of those things simultaneously?" Ryu asked.

"You know, I'm an amateur because I still haven't had my first."

"Story?" Damian said attempting to fill in her blanks

"And a junior because I'm a minor and I think junior sounds better than miner, there I go twisting words again. Oh and I'm Ace because I think I'm a pretty Ace journalist."

"Never mind it got worse." Scarlet said sounding very resigned.

"Okay name and impressive title aside what do you want?" Damian asked.

"To interview you?"

"Why?" Damian replied. Blush's face sunk,

"Look help a gal out, I'm just trying to get my foot in at," Sniff "and I thought I could write an article about this big 'ol event we're 'aving," Sniff "but that's cool I'll leave."

"Oh please don't cry. I, I'm sorry." Blush whipped her face with her excessively long sleeves.

"So you'll help me?"

"Y, yea sure. But you'll have to be quit I'm pretty sure we need to get back soon." Damian replied. Blush's face immediately lit up.

"Those are not amateur Grimm tears, girl is a natural." Scarlet said sounding something between surprised and impressed. Blush pulled out a pair of glasses.

"So Mr Carmine? 'Ow about I start with you as you were first." Blush said with a dramatically more serious tone.

"Yea sure, I guess." He replied, now feeling like he should have sent the girl away.

"So Damian, let's start small, where did you come from?"

"Torchlight."

"Okay and you lived with...?"

"My mum and dad, I haven't got any siblings or pets."

"So Damian, what was it like when you entered that stadium down there, the lights, the sounds, what ran through your mind?"

"I mean it's pretty big and intimidating, there were a lot more people there then I thought there'd be."

"Ooh, very interesting, you wouldn't think a big guy like you would be scared of nothing."

"Nah I'm only faunas, I have fears like everyone else."

"So is this your girlfriend?" She said pointing to Scarlet.

"I feel like this is getting off topic." Damian said a little defiantly.

"No we are just friends, not even team mates, if you want his team you want these guys." Scarlet said pointing to Nathan and Ryu.

"Yea but those two clearly only have eyes for each other." Blush said sounding uninterested. Nathan sprayed a mouth full of soup over the table and Ryu recoiled to stay out of direct fire.

"What?" Nathan shouted

"What!" Ryu shouted once he got off the floor.

"So Damian who else is on your team? Oh and what is your team name?" Blush said ignoring them.

"I, we have a girl called Gagana and we are team DRGN."

"I see." Blush then turned to Scarlet, "So what team are you in?"

"Yea, I'm the leader of team STRM, which consists of myself, Timothy the Cool guy, The impish Mary and her stoic guardian Richard." She replied

"Interesting. So was that your first time in the spot light, cuz you seemed pretty confident?"

"Nah, it was my first time, though I've seen a few of these sorts of events thanks to my brother."

"You have a brother?" Damian asked.

"Yea he's a couple of years older than us."

"Looks like we're all learning things t'day," Blush said excitedly. "What's your home like?"

"I live in a farming estate where we rear cattle for the people of atlas. It's run by my grandfather and his three children, one of whom is my father."

"Very cool!" Blush turned to Ross but was unable to start another conversation dew to the arrival of two soldiers. One lowered his visor.

"You lot should probably head back down to the arena, we'll be starting up again in a moment. If you follow us, we'll take you." The students quickly finished what was left of their food then got up and followed the soldiers back down to the arena. Halfway down the stair well Damian noticed that Blush had followed them, he was surprised that none of the soldiers had stopped her but at this point he didn't want to say anything in case she or the soldiers got in trouble. The six of them sat down were they had been previously and found that Crimson had been moved along to join them. As soon as the soldiers returned to their post Blush began the interrogation of the other participants starting with Ross. His attention was shortly taken by the fact that Amber was next to be called up. Timidly as normal she crept forward and took a shaky stance. Amber shortly exceeded expectations though as she quickly got into the flow of her fight, ducking, dodging and skewering her enemies. Until she tripped, rolled and got dog piled by a group of robots. Spikes erupted from the pile but she remained stuck under the heap of metal until her aura drained and she got disqualified.

"Aww so close Miss Meadow you only needed to last another thirty odd seconds, but with a score of four hundred and two you could have definitely done worse." Marcus announced from his speaker as Ross and Ulrik pulled her out.

"Our next fighter is quite an anticipated one from what I hear, it's Yuki Inari!" The crowd seem to cheer extra loud. Is he a known person? Damian thought to himself. Yuki strutted onto the stage, sheaves held in his hands. With a flick of his thumbs he launched his swords in the air and grabbed with a jump and a flip.

"And I thought he was the subtle type." Damian said.

"Yea, fame and recognition really can change people." Nathan said

"Wouldn't that imply he was famous or recognised."

"I think he at least one of those things with his bright white hair."

"Touché." Damian replied before his attention was brought back the fight that was moments away from beginning. Yuki stood like a statue as the robots advanced around him, he waited until they were within arm's length. Then the slashed out with his twin blades, cutting through them as if they were paper. He stood there in the same spot, unflinching. As the robots marched forward, wave after wave, he didn't move and inch, he barely even turned. As he reached the two-minute mark he changed his stance and combined his blades into a single, longer blade. He ran his finger down it and left a read glowing trail from tip to hilt. With a mighty swing of his weapon he sliced through all the robots surrounding him and ignited them to boot. Their smouldering remains were quickly trodden over by new units. Damian caught a glimpse of his face as he went for another circular slash. Boredom was written across it clear as day. He entered his stance as he prepared for a third attack. This time though, as he took a step forward he slipped and his attack went up to the sky, impacted with the blast shields and shattered them in an explosion of sparks and blue light then darkness. A siren sounded and all the robots halted. Muffled static came from the speakers before the quickly petered out and then a sigh could be heard from the commentator's box. Pine and his two allies stated talking on their radios before jogging off out of the arena.

"Well look what you've gone and done." Ryu said to Yuki as he walked over and took a seat.

"My bad," he said with a smirk, "I slipped on some loose fluid."

"What do you think happened?" Scarlet asked.

"Blow fuse?" Nathan suggesting casually.

"Most likely." Yuki replied.

"We are currently experiencing some technical difficulties please stand by." A feminine voice called over the speakers.

"That was quick." Nathan said looking up to the closest speaker."

"Fights have been suspended for the next five minutes while we fix the shields, in the meantime please draw your attention to the soldiers of the Atlesian military performing out National anthem." The voice said again. Moments later the sounds of drums and brass could be heard from the south entrances. Pine marched out, helmet in on hand and his rifle raised in the other. A group of thirty odd soldiers, carrying and assortment of musical instruments followed behind him. Then a solider came from the east and west gates, each held a flag and marched forward. They crossed flags as they waited for Pine to match up the field - a symbol that represents the crossing of the military and huntsman academy -. Pine stood now in the center of the stadium, he slung his weapon to his side and placed his helmet on the ground and formed a salute. The band of soldiers began to play and rumbling sound could be heard in the distance. A squadron of fighter jets flew across the stadium leaving a trail in the sky as they looped around. The crowd, who at this point were all saluting, screamed and whooped. As more of the systems returned to life, the lights reignited and the holographic screens flickered into view. As the fighters came back again for another run past the arena Pine dropped his arm from a saluting motion to a point one. The jets roared overhead and each unleashed a volley of missiles into the arena. There where cries of terror as people jumped for cover, trying to avoid the flaming rubble.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

Damian tried to look around, he was in a daze, everything was dark, everything was sore and he could feel something heavy on top of him. He blinked a few times and tried to work out what was happening. _Im on my knees, I think? I can't see or hear, what's the last thing I remembered_ , He thought desperately.

"You okay partner?"

"Scar -cough!- Scarlet is that you?" Damian said now realising he had half a kilo of dust in his system.

"Yea it's me. Are you okay?" She replied. Damian heard the sound of scarlet fidgeting around until she opened up her scroll and its light blinded and illuminated the both of them.

"Oh god that's bright. Ouch!" Scarlet said as she recoiled from the light of her scroll and dropped it on her face. Once Damian's eyes adjusted he realised he was on top of Scarlet.

"What happened?" Damian asked.

"I'm not rightly sure myself, there was the band, then an explosion then you jumped shielded me from the debris."

Damian made an affirmative noise then tried to move. He could.

"Ugh Scarlet cover your ears of a sec." Damian said as he took in a deep breath. He unleashed his semblance and smashed away the wreckage around them. Damian was greeted with a view strait out of hell, people where running and screaming, soldiers were fighting one another and most of his classmates were strewn across the ground. Scarlet popped her head up as well then pulled the two of them down. A voice boomed from a megaphone.

"People of Atlas we have been under the boot of this power hungry tyrant for too long. We the group known as Lost have come here today to free you. On this day we shall end the rule of general James Ironwood." Damian peered over the rubble to see Pine speaking, surrounded by a group of supporters some of who he recognised as the people he met in that ally way.

"We have to help!" Damian whispered to Scarlet.

"I know I know! We need back up though, there's like fifty of them and one of you!" She replied. The two of them started digging around within the rubble, they quickly found Nathan and Ryu, Amber and Ross and Yuki, Blush and Crimson. They sat there in silence for a moment gathering their thoughts.

"So do we fight these guys?" Nathan asked.

"Yea" half of them replied. Damian looked to the undecided half,

"Don't tell me you agree with these guys."

Amber spoke up first. "What they are doing is wrong but, I mean, it could bring some good."

"The ends are only as good as the means in which you use to achieve them." Ryu interjected quickly. "If they think they are somehow better with their holier than thou preaching, someone probably me, might have to adjust their tune." He finished bitterly.

"Wow I feel like this is something near and dear?" Nathan said surprised.

"Just a belief." He replied. Damian took out his scroll and started to call the other team leaders. He got no replies.

"Looks like it's just us for now. Scarlet, Yuki, Ross, Crimson You guys should probably see how your teams are doing. Amber can you take care of Blush she still seems out of it."

"What are you going to do?" Amber asked.

"I." Damian began

"We." Nathan interpreted

"Are gonna kick some ass!" Ryu finished. Scarlet and Ross sighed.

"You hot heads."

Damian and his team leapt out of the rubble and advanced on pine, daring from cover to cover. Pine and his renegade soldiers had now overwhelmed the Atlesian resistance.

"Fan out and search for resistance. I'll find Ironwood myself!" Pine commanded his troops. The soldiers left leaving only his closest associates. As well as Pine their appeared to be six others, firstly a girl ginger girl in a patchy brown coat holding some sort of stick. Next was a familiar looking little girl with a large machine gun. On her right was a taller darker haired boy holding a rod and in a similar black cape. On Pine's other side where three boys, the first had a buzz cut, wore and old pre-war uniform and held a rifle. The boy in the middle had blue hair, wore a white robe and held a curved blade. The last one had messy green hair, brown armour, a rifle in his hand and a broad sword across his back.

"Good work on the missiles guys, I can't believe our plan went off without a hitch!"

"Well we have been waiting an awful long time." The smallest of his companions replied. Damian immediately recognised her voice.

"Your right sister, it has been a very long time in the making." Another one replied. Damian looked to his teammates, there where there of them verses the seven unknown assailants. The odds did not seem good.

"Okay let's hit them hard and fast." He whispered. Ryu and Nathan nodded.

"Nick can you deal with these on lookers!" Pine commanded. The boy with in the pre-war uniform jump and shattered the cover Damian was hiding behind.

"Suck on this!" Ryu shouted as he fired Zang Jishu and point blank into Nick's chest. He barely flinched.

"Is that all you've got." He replied as he batted Ryu away with the butt of his rifle.

"Ryu!" Nathan and Damian screamed. Nathan swung Thaw hammer down on Nick's head. It released an explosion on impact which took him be surprise but he shrugged it off quickly and countered with punch to chest that sent him crashing to the ground. Nick then placed his boot on Nathan and began to crush him into the arena floor.

"Leave him ALONE!" Damian screamed, with an explosive burst of energy he lunched at Nick. Damian raised both his arms and slashed at him with his ethereal claws. Nick crossed his arms and blocked the attack, though it shredded through his coat sleeves. Damian continued thrashing away at Nick, but he managed to block each and every one of his attacks. Nick now stood there with nothing more than a destroyer coat.

"Why'd you have to go and fuck up my coat." He said chucking it on the ground to reveal metallic body covered circuitry and a glowing light in the centre of his chest. Damian went in for a punch and Nick grabbed it and began to clamp down hard, crushing it.

"I wasn't even finished with my introduction!" He then swivelled Damian around on his arm and kicked him I the chest, causing him to crash on top of Nathan.

Nathan and Damian got to their knees and tried to stand. Nick grabbed both of them by their faces and pulled them off the ground.

"God these guys are pitiful, maybe the Iron titan has gotten soft." Pine cackled. He then turned to his companions, "Bon, Rolo, Melody!" The three of them jumped to attention. "These guys aren't a problem so go find where Ironwood is at."

"Got it."

"Affirmative"

"Yes sir." They replied one after another before running out off to the west gate. Pine turned to Nick.

"Stop toying with them, don't you want to save your energy for Ironwood."

"I've not even broken a sweat." He replied maliciously.

"I'm not even sure how you would do that Nickel." The boy with the broadsword replied.

"Technicalities a side-."

-CRACK-

There was a brilliant light, Nickel was knocked backwards and dropped Damian and Nathan.

"Why do I always have to clean up after you boys." Gagana said in a light hearted tone. She continued to punched and kick sending out blue sparks as she did. Nickel kept getting knocked back, further and further.

"Enough!" He shouted. Two giant war glaives erupted from slots in his arms. He clasped his hands together and brought his blades crashing down on Gagana. Gagana blocked replied them with a wall of aura and kicked him in the stomach while he was off balanced. He crashed to the ground but quickly recovered.

"Anyone call for reinforcements." Scarlet called as she and the other twenty students charged forward. They quickly surrounded the four of them.

"Wow I am surprised that ALL of you made it out alive, oh well. Cerulean do your thing!"

"My pleasure." The blue haired boy replied. He rubbed his hand across the length of his blade. Black smoke bellowed from its hilt. He lifted his blade to the sky and the smoke began to manifest into a recognisable form. The students quivered and looked on in shock as the smoke solidified into a monstrous four story tall draconic Grimm. It let out a deafening roar as it extended it's wings which reached from one side of the arena to the other. It's markings started to glow, first at its feet and tail all the way up to its head. From a dull to a brilliant and bloody red. It then opened its mouth and engulfed the crowd stands in black fire. Everyone stood their frozen with fear.

"What the hell are we going to do." Nathan squeaked.

"You're going to die for us and our cause you moron!" Pine replied. The dragon then directed its attention at Nathan.

"Get out ta here!" He said pushing Damian and Gagana aside before being consumed by fire.

"Nathan!" Gagana shrieked. The fire dissipated leaving Nathan in his stony grey form, relatively untouched. Gagana gave a sigh of relief.

"Let us deal with this!" Maya shouted. "Heartless creature the knows no love or humanity. I Maya Brass and my team BLYD shall vanquish you for your tyranny!" she and her team released their semblances. Maya - now glowing golden - unsheathed her great-sword and charged at the Grimm. It reared its head round and took a deep breath.

"Stop!" Qiu Lin commanded. The beast froze in its tracks. Demir and Yuki drew their weapons and charged after their leader who was now scaling the beast.

"Cerulean!" Pine shouted, "why isn't it killing everyone!"

"I… I don't know." He stuttered.

"We're out numbered five to one could you guys get your butt's in gear." Pine said as he drew is sword. His hands glowed blue and he projected a beam of energy on his allies. They all sprouted wings made of blue light. Ulrik charged forward, Cheshire and Ross hot on his heels

"We'll take the blue haired bastard!"

"We got green and shaggy." Brett said as he mounted his jet board.

"Dibs on the robot!" Mary shouted. Damian turned to Lyssa and Newt.

"Where's Bianca?" he asked.

"She's taking care of Crimson, Amber and that reporter girl… what should we do?" Lyssa replied sounding unsure. Damian wasn't sure what to tell them, he wasn't their leader.

"Mmm… go help Ulrik I guess, he's a man down."

"Gotcha! We'll get on that!" Lyssa said, pulling Newt by her side.

"Guess that leaves us with the main guy, Pine." Damian said to his team. Pine was flying high in the sky and kept swooping down helping his allies. Damian and Ryu tried to shoot him down to no avail until Nathan said.

"I've got an idea! Gagana do you think you can switch teleport me with him?" she paused for a second and nodded. She pressed her palms together and began to concentrate very hard. Nathan could feel his body lightening.

"SWITCH!" she shouted. Nathan disappeared and in his place was Pine, who immediately crash landed face first into the hard arena floor. Before he could recover Damian grappled him and forced him into a head lock.

"Don't think you'll get away that easily." Pine shook and thrashed around trying to escape. Ryu gave him a solid punch to the gut to wind him for a bit. Damian panted from the effort of trying to keep pine under wraps.

"How are the others doing? Is Nathan okay?" Ryu and Gagana started to look around.

"Everyone seems fine, ... maybe not BLYD actually, yea they could probably use some help." Ryu replied.

"Okay you find Nathan then the two of you go help out, I'll stay here with Gagana."

"Sure thing." Ryu said before he jogged off into the carnage.

-Brrr Brrr … Brrr Brrr-

Damian could feel his scroll vibrating.

"Ugh Gagana could you – Ouch – get that for me – Fuck it – I'm a little busy trying to choke the life out of this guy." Gagana kicked pines legs out from underneath him and pinned him to the floor and started jabbing him in the side with her dust infused strikes.

"That works too." Damian said catching his breath, he took out his scroll and saw that Bianca had sent him a voice mail.

"Can anyone here me, I'm sending this to all the other leaders. I'm pinned down with three useless bodies and I can't carry them away myself, especially with all this gun fire!" _that is about as sincere a cry for help as you could have expected from her_ , Damian thought. A moment later Brett sped over with his team, Rylee had managed to tie up their opponent and she was now dragging him across the arena.

"Need a lift?" Brett said extending an arm out to Damian.

"Ramona, Oscar I need you to help Rylee and Gagana on watch, we should be back in a few." As they set off Damian noticed that Ulrik's team was having little luck with their fight while STRM had manage to partially freeze their target.

"How'd it go?" Damian asked.

"Oh you know, ain't nobody faster than us." Brett said. "There they are!" he pointed ahead. Damian started to fire on the crowd of soldiers and Brett pressed a switch with his foot and shoot out a stream of smart missiles. One of the soldiers unladed a clip on Brett and hit him in the leg, he lost his balance and fell of his board and Damian was catapulted across the group of soldiers. They were both quickly surrounded.

"Time for the queen of the arena to test her metal!" a voice called from above. Everyone looked up to see Lafayette spinning gracefully through the air. She fired a volley of shots, each one hitting a soldier. When she landed on the ground all the soldiers fell to the floor. She blew the smoke off her gun barrels.

"I still got it!" She shouted excitedly. A sigh of relief came from the pile of rubble. Bianca popped up from under a folding chair.

"Thank you." She mumbled as she crawled out, Amber, Crimson and Blush followed suit.

"Okay guys show me where the problem is at." Lafayette commanded to Domain and Brett.

"Shouldn't we find a safe place for the girls first?" Damian asked.

"Not many places in Atlas are safer than by my side." She said boldly. Damian thought about it for a moment. Lafayette coughed to gain his attention.

"Oh right bad guys this way." He said as he walked towards the main arena. Once they arrived in the arena Lafayette's jaw dropped and they ran into combat. Gagana, Rylee and Oscar where still on guard duty but now Timothy had joined them with a giant block of ice. Damian stopped in his tracks when he heard a voice.

"Guys watch out Qui Lin is struggling to control the Grimm she's saying it only has another few minutes max." he looked around.

"Who said that?"

"Oh Sorry it's Demir, I'm communicating with everyone telepathically, I can act kind of like a relay." Damian ran off towards Ulrik to help him with the final member of Pine's crew. It turns out Cerulean was a slimy bastard indeed, every time they got close to him he would disappear in a puff of blue smoke and reappear elsewhere ad in the fact that he still had the gift of flight from Pine he was untouchable. Ulrik was furious and red with rage.

"Hi Ulirk need a -."

"FOR CRYING OUT LOUD IM WORKING ON IT!" Ulrik snapped.

"Sorry." Damian replied quickly. Ulrik leapt into the air trying to grab Cerulean. He missed but then Ross jumped on his back and phased right through another cloud of blue smoke.

"Is he really there?" Damian asked.

"I've been beginning to think not." Newt answered as he popped another copy with a well-placed bullet.

"Demir can you hear me?" Damian thought to himself.

"Loud and clear, what's your request for this cognitive radio station?" Demir replied.

"Can you get Ryu or Yuki over there I need some eyes on where Cerulean really is."

"On it." Damian waited patiently for a few seconds then Demir responded.

"Yea Ryu is on his way."

"Thank you." Damian said aloud.

"Say what?" Newt said, he apparently had been taken by surprise by Damian's Silent glare, he had made while thinking to Demir. Ryu showed up within moments.

"Think your eagle eyes can scout out Cerulean?" Damian asked.

"How many times have I told you it's not x-ray vision."

"Well aren't you useless." Ryu sighed.

"I'll try." His eyes opened wide and started cycling thorough a myriad of colours until they eventually stopped on a blue. His eyes then started darting about independently like a chameleon. Ryu then pointed to a point over his left shoulder without turning.

"He's On the roof with three others."

"Oh we forgot about them." Damian said turning to the point Ryu was pointing to. As he did a collection of canisters rained form the sky loft and covered the stadium in a thick smoke. Several people screamed and shouted but all where shortly muffled by the grimm roaring.

"Stay the hell away from my students!" Ironwood shouted from a drop ship. He jumped out in full combat gear along with a full platoon of Atlesian knights and landed on the Grimm's head. He drew two hand cannons and began laying into the already weakened creature. It flicked its head and flung him into the air. Marian swung out of the dropship on a rope and caught him mid fall. Gwynn and Ruaridh jumped out after them. Ruaridh slammed his shield on the ground realising a pulse of energy dissipating the smoke. The Grimm started to glow again as it charged up another blast of fire. Gwynn slammed down his staff and storm of lightning and ice whipped up around the Grimm, consuming it. When the storm faded the grimm disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.

"Where are those traitorous bastards! I want them court martialled and dishonourably discharged! Preferably out of a cannon." Ironwood snapped. Damian looked to where they had been holding their defeated enemies, they had all escaped. A bright green energy appeared from the roof of the stadium. It was Nickel, he had his armed out stretched and was charging some ball of energy.

"Get behind me!" Ruaridh shouted as he raised his Shield. Everyone scurried behind him as a defensive bubble formed into life. Nickel fired a powerful laser at them which cut through the rock and metal of the arena like it was butter. Once the light faded Damian looked up, they were gone. Ironwood walked a couple paces away from the group and supported his head with his hand. He sighed loudly then turned to his staff and students.

"You all did a tremendous job and keeping the peace. I thank you all." He said solemnly. Nathan raised his hand.

"Are you behind sarcastic? This place is nearly destroyed."

"Nathan builds can be rebuilt, lives… Lives of those we lose cannot. So on those grounds you did spectacularly, your team specifically by stalling the attempts of this group. Now I imagine your all exhausted, let's get you back the Academy." The dropship descended to the ground and everyone entered through the ramp on the back. Once sat down Damian was finally able to start processing what had just happened, he also felt like collapsing asleep.

"Damian wake up where at the Academy." Gagana called out to him, as if from a distance land.

"Oh sure." He dragged himself to his feet, everything hurt. All the students had to pass by the nurse's office – Ironwood's orders – Damian had no real injuries and was almost immediately emitted and told to get some rest.


End file.
